Coast and Sea

Poetry inspired by coastal archive

Commissioned as part of Britain on Film ‘Coast To Coast’, Olive Broderick and Ross Thompson created poems inspired by coastal films from the archive. These spoken word contributions have been set alongside the original archive films edited by TACA and new soundtrack composed by Dáithí McGibbon. This collection features these poems and interviews with the poets, explore the 'related videos' to watch the original films. 

To celebrate ‘Poetry Day’ Olive and Ross read a selection of their recent work, including these new poems on the theme of coast and sea, which were inspired by the content of the Digital Film Archive. This took place on Thursday 27th April 2017 in the Lyric Theatre Belfast.

“An invasion of waves: motorists urged to be cautious on the Portaferry Road, a weight of water assaults the exposed North Coast. Fury of wind and tide against ancient white rocks that erode so slowly they remember the lengthening light long before the first people arrived here.” 

From Hint of the Sea in the Breeze at Steamboat Quay, by Olive Broderick

Olive Broderick is a recipient of the Hennessy X.O. Literary award and currently featured as one of Lagan Press’s 12Now up-and-coming literary talents.  She is recognised as one of the brightest voices in contemporary Northern Irish poetry.

“By a horseshoe bay, calm, clean and ringed by green fields, we squeeze the last drops from a postcard holiday spent by the sea. Through glassy memory and dream, time curves like liquid. You ebb towards me then flow away. I tightrope walk the sharp teeth of the beach, combing for treasure, weighing shells, measuring stones and digging to Australia with my toy spade.”

From July, by Ross Thompson

Ross Thompson is an award-winning poet and writer, and also one of Lagan Press’ 12Now up-and-coming literary talents. His work is inspired by and draws on recurrent themes that include the sea and cinema.