This is Episode 45 of Poems to Live Well By.

Today’s poem, "The West Coast of Clare" by Andy Irvine, is actually a song.

It’s the second song lyric to feature on this podcast—you can find "The Best Day of My Life" by Tom Odell and Laurie Blundell in Episode 30 here, or by searching or scrolling in your podcast player. It’s also the second time that the west coast of county Clare, on Ireland’s Atlantic seaboard, features in Poems to Live Well By. You can find "Postscript" by Seamus Heaney in Episode 14.

“The West Coast of Clare” was included on the debut album of the legendary Irish folk band Planxty released almost exactly 50 years ago, in the early months of 1973. It has been covered by various artists, including Ed Sheeran, Dervish and David Gray.

The line between poetry and song is a wispy one, and while I would encourage you whole-heartedly to listen to the full version of "The West Coast of Clare" live here, or the original track on Spotify here, with Irvine’s gorgeous voice and the lilting, haunting whistle and strings of his band, I believe it stands alone as a poem in its own right.

Perhaps fittingly for today, Valentine’s Day, “The West Coast of Clare” encapsulates the depth of a love, and the grief of its aftermath.

Music Credit:

Once Upon a Time by Alex-Productions | https://onsound.eu/  | Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com