Poetry anthologies come six to the dozen at Christmas time, like familiar but tired relatives. This one is different. For A Fine Statement, John McDonagh asked twenty of Ireland’s best-loved poets to choose their five favourite poems from their own lifetime of work, and to write a brief introduction explaining their choice. The result is a wonderfully revealing and eclectic mix of poems, some familiar, some surprising.

The poets featured are Pat Boran, Ciaran Carson, Eavan Boland, Theo Dorgan, Paul Durcan, Peter Fallon, Kerry Hardie, Seamus Heaney, Rita Ann Higgins, Brendan Kennelly, Michael Longley, Derek Mahon, Medbh McGuckian, Paula Meehan, John Montague, Sinead Morrissey, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, Bernard O’Donoghue, Cathal Ó Searchaigh and Micheal O’Siadhail.

A Fine Statement will be an ideal gift for all poetry lovers!