We survived Electric Picnic. Just.

As we were doing our best to thrive over the weekend at Ireland's biggest music festival, we also grabbed a few poetry peeps to lend us their ears for a whopper episode of The Poetry's Dead Podcast!

Jan Brierton hadn't met Stephen James Smith before their in-conversation chat at the Manifest stage, so we did the honours and hosted their first meet! We talk about life on the road, fame and making sure you keep your circle close.

David Hynes, the brains behind The Word stage at EP where we both got to perform, dragged himself away from hosting duties to join us for a chat with UK poet Polar Bear and Unorthodox Coolock himself, Craig Doyle for a conversation that celebrated the importance of art in the world of the working class.

James 'Jimbo' Dillon and Daragh Fleming then join us to discuss the scene in Dublin and Cork respectively as well as share how poetry is a solid antidote to mental health struggles.

We end the show with a show-stopping interview with The Scauldy Ones. The Poet Geoff, Emmet O'Brien and Heavy Kevvy are three of the countries best performers, and after we were treated to a banging ensemble performance from the lads, they joined us to discuss how creating poetry works, crafting the perfect set and the relationship between the performer and the audience.

With so many new faces to the show making an appearance or receiving a name drop, next week we'll do a showcase show sharing the stories and poetry of the newcomers to the The Poetry's Dead Podcast.

Thanks again for all your support, and we hope you enjoy our window into the more arty side of Stradbally Farm.

Ryan and Leon

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Original music by Matthew Keating
Artwork by Paddy Downey
Introduction and co-produced by Lisa Downey