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The Poetry Programme

Rita Ann Higgins 3 Image Name: Rita Ann Higgins 3

Gerard Smyth has said of Rita Ann Higgins that, ‘She is (…) both jocular and jugular, two traits that combine to make her a singular voice in Irish poetry.’ She was born in Galway, where she still lives, left school at 14, and was in her late 20s when she started writing poetry. She has published five poetry collections with Salmon Poetry and five with Bloodaxe Books.

Rita Ann joins Olivia to read from her latest book, Our Killer City – isms, chisms, chasms and schisms: essays and poems, published by Salmon Poetry. The health service, bureaucracy, and government ministers had all better look out – nothing escapes her sharp social commentary.

The Poetry Programme is available to listen back to after broadcast on the RTÉ radio player.