The Sounds of Grief is a 40-minute documentary funded by the BAI’s Sound & Vision scheme telling the story of one of our most infamous and persistent traditions – caoineadh/keening – the Irish funeral cry. Presented by Traditional Arts researcher and Sound Art practitioner Michelle Collins, the programme features contributions from: James Wilce, author of Crying Shame; Emeritus Professor of Irish-language studies at UCD, Angela Bourke; sean nós singer Sara Grealish; Reverend Cait Brannigan, who leads Keening ceremonies in Ireland today; and retired priest Fr Eddie O Conghaile.

Woven throughout the programme is a rich soundtrack of Irish and international music of grief.

The programme was broadcast on RTÉ lyric fm on 29 January 2016.

You can listen to the programme on the RTÉ lyric fm soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/the-lyric-feature/the-sounds-of-grief