A NEW series on BBC ALBA celebrates the rich tradition and history of Gaelic poetry and its continued relevance in the present day.
In this series called Dan, 12 people choose and read the poems that are most important to them or that have had an effect on them.
Producer Ramsay MacMahon said: “Poetry is so powerful. It can transport us to other places, it can remind us of a particular person or period in time and it can tell us about our history and the world we live in.
“There is a great breadth of the most beautiful Gaelic verse across the 12 short programmes. From humorous poems to lullabies, the famous Gaelic bards to lesser-known ones, from village poets to ancient poetry that we often hear sung.”
The entire series is available on iPlayer now. Each programme will then be broadcast on BBC ALBA each day at 7.55pm from Monday to Thursday starting on April 26 until May 13.
The series will also be available to watch on BBC ALBA YouTube and an English and Gaelic version of each poem will be published at bbc.co.uk/alba.
The first episode features Scottish and Irish literature expert Peter Mackay, originally from the Isle of Lewis, discussing how Iain Crichton Smith has influenced him and reads the poem Tha thu air Aigeann M’Inntinn.
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