4,000 Keys: Unlocking Linda McKenna's Poetic Journey

Irish Stew Podcast

In the 10th episode of the Irish Stew Podcast's Lost in Belfast series, host Martin Nutty sits down with poet Linda McKenna. Together, they discuss poetry, history, and forgotten voices of Irish history.

Linda's path to poetry began almost by accident, but her talent was apparent, confirmed when she received the prestigious 2018 Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing. Recording from the Observatory room at Belfast's Grand Central Hotel, Linda opens up about her unique approach to poetry, drawing inspiration from historical archives and fragmentary records to illuminate the often-overlooked stories of women throughout history.

During this compelling discussion, Linda reads excerpts from her acclaimed collection Four Thousand Keys and offers insights into her upcoming work, which seeks to recover and amplify voices from Ireland's 1798 rebellion. Her poetry serves as both historical excavation and artistic expression, breathing life into stories that might otherwise remain buried in dusty archives.

Join Martin and Linda for a conversation that connects past and present, exploring how poetry can serve as a bridge between forgotten histories and contemporary understanding.

Links

• Linda McKenna page at Doire Press
• Twitter
• Facebook

Books

• Four Thousand Keys
• In the Museum of Misremembered Things

Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 20; Total Episode Count: 123

فصول

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Poem: Cartography (00:03:28)

3. Poetic Beginnings (00:05:10)

4. Rural Dublin Origins (00:07:27)

5. Victorian Studies (00:09:08)

6. The Museum Life (00:10:03)

7. Moving to the North (00:12:41)

8. Poetic Influences (00:15:00)

9. Elizabeth Dunham and her Keys (00:17:05)

10. Poem: Fifty Miles (00:22:15)

11. Looking to Future Work: 1798 (00:23:07)

12. Belfast Crucible of 1798 (00:27:10)

13. Poem: Lineage (00:31:49)

14. Martin Recaps (00:35:02)

15. Credits (00:36:18)