Tastemaker ‘My favourite achievement? Staying curious, loving the world, not despairing’ – Paula Meehan, poetThe former Ireland Professor of Poetry on her dream dinner party guests, the relevance of James Joyce to her life and work, and her motto for life
Poetry The Local Heron by John KellyThe poem by the broadcaster and writer John Kelly is extracted from Space, his new volume of poetry, published by Dedalus Press
Walk the line: Poet Annemarie Ní Churreáin on the spoken word and bringing light to dark historiesThe Donegal Gaeltacht native explores themes of landscape, mythology and Ireland’s culture of silence in her work
Books: Never So Close, a poem by Dermot BolgerNever So Close is from Dermot Bolger’s new collection, Other People’s Lives, published by New Island on April 7 at €12.99. For more details, see: newisland.ie/poetry-drama/other-peoples-lives
Some Integrity: Poetry that teaches us how to set the world off-kilterPadraig Regan’s playful, original and philosophically complex debut poetry collection is as joyful as it is thought-provoking
A generation slipping away: Brendan Kennelly and the changing of Ireland’s literary guardThe works of the legendary Kerry poet, who died last week, will endure for decades to come. But his death has brought a strong sense that we must cherish our surviving literary giants while we still can
Fairground Ponies: A poem by Dermot BolgerThe author marks the 150th birthday of the legendary painter Jack B Yeats with a poem specially commissioned for the occasion
