From Kitchen Table to the Underworld: The Poetry of Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh

In the Studio enters the creative world of award-winning Irish-language poet Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh as she composes a new poem. We follow its journey from first draft to first public reading.

Ailbhe writes exclusively in Irish. She is deeply rooted in the language’s literary tradition yet unmistakably modern in outlook and has become one of the most distinctive literary voices of her generation.

Working from the early-morning quiet of her kitchen table in Cork, the documentary centres on a new triptych inspired by her nine-year-old daughter’s fascination with Greek mythology. Ailbhe takes Dualtagh Herr behind the scenes of her new work, reflecting on childhood imagination, motherhood, and the creative process.

Ailbhe’s poetry has travelled widely beyond Ireland in translation, reaching readers in English, French, Spanish, German, Greek, Macedonian, Czech, and Galician.

Much of that international reach has come through English translations by her husband, the acclaimed poet Billy Ramsell. In this programme, we also hear from him as he translates Ailbhe’s new poem into English. He offers a unique perspective on how poetry migrates and evolves between languages, illuminating the creative possibilities and challenges of translation.

Through a mix of intimate audio diaries recorded during the writing process and conversations captured during a visit to Cork, we follow the poem’s evolution from draft to finished work and ultimately to its debut at the Franco-Irish Literary Festival in Dublin.

The result is a rare insight into how a poem comes into being and reaches its audience.

Produced and Presented by Dualtagh Herr