Clodagh Finn: Give the arts a sporting chance with a daily slot on Six One News

Now’s your chance to speak up for the culture-makers before a September 5 deadline

Actor Brendan Gleeson has called on RTÉ to temper the rolling news of war and horror with the levitator of a daily arts segment.

There’s a wonderful account in the life of Saint Lasair, a miracle-working holy woman of the early Irish church, that illustrates how revered — and feared —  poets once were in ancient Ireland.

It describes how the saint was struck with terror one day when she saw “nine hungry poets and men of learning” come towards her looking for hospitality at a time when she had nothing to give them. She “blushed deep” and retreated to the chapel to pray fervently for help because she feared her failure to feed them would be immortalised in a stinging poem.