Conversations with Ulster Writers
' The poet after all has no mandate for making political statements. You might say he has no mandate for making statements about a love affair or how marvellous the trunk of a silver birch is. But it is a lot easier to talk about lost loves and forthcoming ones and silver birches than it is to talk about bombs and bullets.'
(PAUL MULDOON )
' If there are two nations in Ireland, two races, the one thing that unites them is their sense of humour.' (JOHN MORROW ) Since the mid-60s there has been a resurgence of writing in Northern Ireland. Derek Bailey , the reporter, is himself an Ulsterman and asks writers - poets, novelists and a playwright - whether the troubles have directly affected or inspired their work and if their backgrounds, whether Protestant or Catholic, are relevant to their pre-occupations and style.
Those appearing: Seamus Heaney Michael Longley , John Morrow Paul Muldoon. Frank Ormshv
Stewart Parker , James Simmons
Film cameraman ARTHUR ROWELL Sound MALCOLM BARTRAM Film editor PAUL O'DELL
Executive producer BILL MORTON
Producer DEREK BAlLEY