The story of a great Irish poet and the teacher who helped her fear of speaking in public.

Principal Anne sees a rolled up ball of paper fall out of Mary Ogun-Banwo's schoolbag. She opens it to reveal a beautiful poem, written fully in the Irish language. Reluctantly, Mary allows her to enter it the All Ireland Schools Poetry Competition and it gets to the final, where she’ll have to read it on live national television! Mary now realises she suffers from chronic stage fright, so Principal Anne sends her to study with unorthodox teacher and trained counsellor, James Jones, in order to help her delve into her past and figure out what’s holding her back. This is a story of a reluctant poet’s rise to win the All Ireland Schools Poetry Competition and the teachers who helped her overcome her stage fright by confronting her personal traumas.

‘Speak Through Your Silence' is broadcast on Newstalk on Sunday 17th November with repeat broadcast on Saturday 23rd November.

More information on this programme can be found at: www.irishaudiodrama.com.

Podcast available at newstalk.com/podcasts/drama-on-newstalk after the broadcast.

‘Speak Through Your Silence ’was produced by Jonathan Farrelly and Katerina Economides and was supported by Coimisiun na Mean through the television licence fee. Jonathan Farrelly is a writer and documentarian, specialising in sport and historical drama. Katerina Economides is a writer and Doctor of Humanities, specialising in Folklore, Myth and Future Studies.