This initiative by Poetry Ireland gives insight into poems on the English and Irish Leaving Certificate curriculums.

Behind the Lines aims to engage Leaving Cert students with poems and poets on their English and Irish courses. Writers read their poems and discuss their inspiration and the imagery in the poems, contextualizing the work in a personal way that enriches the experience of students.

Well known poets such as Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Martin Dyar and Eileen Sheehan feature on the videos released so far. These videos can be viewed on Poetry Ireland’s YouTube channel and social media channels.

Other writers explore favourite poets on the curriculum, from Emily Dickinson to Francis Ledwidge, bringing their poetic sensibility to bear on their chosen work.

More videos will be available over the coming weeks. They will constitute a valuable resource for students in the run-up to this year’s Leaving Certificate exams, and also in the years to come.

The Behind the Lines video playlist can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLngFeQ50yh4sy6uvrxunGk1f4ZqQ2FdUk