Poets and Poetry with Dr Elizabeth Boyle

Poets and Poetry with Dr Elizabeth Boyle

Author: The Medieval Irish History Podcast October 3, 2025 Duration: 52:30

Welcome back for season three! Hope you missed us as much as we missed recording our chats on all things medieval Ireland! Today we have Dr Elizabeth Boyle back for the first episode of the new season (as is becoming tradition) to learn about poets and poetry. We discuss everything from Poet-President Michael D. Higgins, the power of satire, constrained poetical forms, and the high status of poets to the popularity of the blackbird in Irish poetry (!), Seámus Heaney, whether medieval Irish poetry rhymed, how to become a poet and much more!


Suggested reading:

– Elizabeth Boyle, Fierce Appetites (Dublin and London, 2022)

– Liam Breatnach, "Satire, praise and the Early Irish poet", Ériu 56, no. 1 (2006), 63-84

– Liam Breatnach, Uraicecht na Ríar: The Poetic Grades in Early Irish Law, Early Irish Law Series II (Dublin, 1987)

– Robin Chapman Stacey, Dark Speech: The Performance of Law in Early Ireland (Philadelphia, 2007), pp. 95–134

– https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2025/0401/1504619-irish-medieval-poet-conchobhar-ruadh-mac-con-midhe-satire-exile/

Regular episodes every two weeks (on a Friday)

Email: medievalirishhistory@gmail.com

Producer: Tiago Veloso Silva

Supported by Maynooth University, the Dept of Early Irish, the Dept of Music, the Dept of History, & Taighde Éireann/Research Ireland.

Views expressed are the speakers' own.

Logo design: Matheus de Paula Costa

Music: Lexin_Music


For anyone curious about the centuries often summarized as simply "Vikings and monks," The Medieval Irish History Podcast offers a far richer and more nuanced journey. Hosted by Dr. Niamh Wycherley, this series moves beyond the stereotypes to reveal a complex, dynamic, and surprisingly vibrant world. Each episode is built around a lively and engaging conversation with a leading expert, delving into specific aspects of a period that is frequently evoked yet deeply misunderstood. Listeners will hear discussions that unpack new and exciting research, challenging outdated narratives and bringing fresh perspectives to the forefront. The podcast serves as a direct line to the latest academic insights, exploring everything from politics and religion to daily life and material culture, all grounded in the landscape of medieval Ireland. It’s an invitation to reconsider what you think you know, presented through accessible and thoughtful dialogue. This podcast is supported by the Department of Early Irish at Maynooth University and Taighde Éireann, ensuring a foundation of scholarly rigor while remaining genuinely engaging for anyone with an interest in the past. The views expressed within each episode belong to the individual speakers, contributing to a multifaceted and authentic exploration of history.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Medieval Irish History Podcast
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