Episode Eight Credits:

Producer: Sydney Walter

Readers:

Esme Rhodes: Esme Rhodes is an actress featuring herein as Eloise Weaver. She recently graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in History. Recent credits include 'Skeleton Crew' at the Edinburgh Fringe (2024), the Weston Library's 'A New Power: Photography in Britain 1800-1850' (2023), and 'Having the Last Word' (2024).

Judith Bunting: Judith Bunting is a screenwriter, with a background as a writer, director, and producer of award-winning content for TV and VOD.

Professor John Goold: Professor John Goold is a distinguished academic at Trinity College Dublin, known for his contributions to research and education. He performs poetry and song at local pubs in Ireland and abroad.

Writers:

Mervyn Morris: Mervyn Morris is a distinguished Jamaican poet, educator, and former Poet Laureate of Jamaica. Born in 1937, Morris is celebrated for his insightful exploration of Caribbean identity, culture, and the nuances of Jamaican life. His poetry is known for its lyrical elegance and its ability to weave local dialect with standard English, creating a distinct voice that resonates with authenticity. Morris has also been a prominent figure in the academic world, having taught at the University of the West Indies and contributed to the development of Caribbean literature. His works, including The Pond and Shadowboxing, have earned critical acclaim for their rich imagery and reflective depth.

Dr. April Elisabeth Pawar: April Pawar is the Founder of the Oxford Writers’ House. She graduated from St. Anne’s College, Oxford in 2016 with a DPhil in English Literature. She writes fiction, essays, and poetry.

Interviewed Expert:

Dr Gary Wade: Gary Wade was educated at St Columb's College, Derry, where Seamus Heaney boarded in the early 1950s. He holds an MA in Theology from the University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome, an MA in Classical Reception from University College London, and a PhD in English from Durham University. His book Seamus Heaney and Catholicism was published by CUP in February 2025 and he is currently working on The Cambridge Introduction to Seamus Heaney (forthcoming with CUP).

Special Thanks To:

The Poetry Archive