Southword Poetry Podcast
The Southword Poetry Podcast is produced by the Munster Literature Centre. Each episode, a guest poet talks in depth about their latest work and shares a few of their poems. We also hear a poem from a recent issue of the literary journal Southword. Sarah Byrne hosted the 2022 season. Clíona Ní Ríordáin hosted the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Poets were selected by the hosts, Patrick Cotter and James O’Leary. The Munster Literature Centre is a grateful recipient of funding from the Arts Council of Ireland and the Arts Office of Cork City Council.
Southword Poetry Podcast
Máighréad Medbh: Dwelling
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(00:00) – Clíona Ní Ríordáin and Patrick Cotter discussion
(07:05) – Máighréad Medbh interview
(01:04:52) – Southword poem, Incantations of Loss by Lani O’Hanlon
Máighréad Medbh is a poet and prose writer with nine published books. Most of her poetry books are long-form sequences or narratives, and her ecological verse novel, Parvit of Agelast (Arlen House), was shortlisted for the 2017 Pigott Prize. After her first book from Blackstaff Press in 1990, she earned a reputation for dramatic presentation, performing widely in Ireland and abroad. She has written for radio, collaborated on award-winning art films, and has three novels online. In 2025 she was awarded the Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill Poetry Exchange, during which she completed her new work Dwelling, a transhistorical exploration of identity, change and displacement, conflating poetry and essay.
This week's Southword poem is 'Incantations of Loss' by Lani O’Hanlon, which is published in issue 49. You can buy single issues, subscribe, or find out how to submit to Southword here.
