Night of pure poetry and music pleasure

December 1999

THE drone of the pipes and soft lilt of poetry all but drowns out the sound of drumming rain as Seamus Heaney and Liam O’Flynn bring their ‘Keeping Time’ show to the town hall.

Those who brave poor weather are treated to a night of pure poetry and musical pleasure.

The show is introduced by broadcaster and writer John Kelly, who notes it had played at

The Barbican in London, in New York and at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre.

Making the occasion more memorable is that it marks the fourth anniversary of Heaney receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature.

He delights the audience with his informal and informative style, explaining the background to the poems, which date from early works such as ‘Digging’ to his recent translations of Brian Merriman’s ‘Midnight Court’ and Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’.

On a day when a major campaign is launched to reduce death on the roads, ‘Midterm Break’ is particularly moving; and Heaney’s poem in memory of a cousin shot in Co. Armagh during The Troubles is an eloquent plea for peace in the new millennium.

The Derry man recalls attending a talent contest in the town hall with his wife Marie in the early ‘Sixties when they had sat up on the balcony, commenting it is nice to be on the stage once again.

He praises local poets Conor O’Callaghan and Vona Groarke, who bring the show to Dundalk, after meeting him backstage at The Barbican earlier in the year.

Piper Liam O’Flynn also has fond memories of playing in the town hall, remembering his appearance with Planxty in 1972.

Among the pieces he plays is one made famous by piper Pat Ward who lived in the south of the county.

It is just a pity the venue isn’t full.