- Music
- 13 Aug 15
The Boomtown Rat will examine the life and work of the revered poet.
He'll be taking to the stage with his Boomtown Rats at Electric Picnic, but Bob Geldof is also planning to turn his attentions to the art of another.
As part of RTÉ One's new season, the rock star and activist will front WB Yeats by Bob Geldof, an examination of the life and work of the man who penned such poetic masterpieces as 'Sailing To Byzantium' and 'Easter 1916'. Indeed, Bob will be approaching Yeats in the context of the 1916 centenary celebrations.
A co-production with BBC, it will be written by Geldof in collaboration with historian and Yeats scholar Roy Foster.
Geldof has often expressed his love for Yeats' work, and talked about the influence it has had on his own art.
As part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Nobel Prize winner last year, he told Discover Ireland: "I can't imagine my life without travelling around with one of [Yeats'] books and he's always stood me in good stead. When words fail, his words will do."
He has also given performed a number of his poems as spoken word in the past.