A portrait of the extraordinary Sydney Owenson, later Lady Morgan, a nineteenth century celebrity cult figure who penned the influential novel, The Wild Irish Girl. Her literary observations of Irish manners and politics made her one of the most hotly discussed literary figures of her generation. She styled herself on the book’s heroine, the harp-playing Gaelic princess, Glorvina and she collected Irish tunes, for which she composed the words, thus setting a fashion adopted with much success by Thomas Moore. Music includes specially recorded world-premiere recordings of Owenson’s Hibernian Melodies performed by Laura Murphy and Una Hunt and harp airs played by Nancy Hurrell on the historic Royal Portable Harps of John Egan. Contributors include Claire Connolly and Julie Donovan. Presented and Produced by Una Hunt.
A Heritage Music production for RTÉ lyric fm, funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland from the Television Licence Fee. First broadcast 25th July 2014.
RTÉ lyric fm, Friday 21st August, 7pm-8pm