When the first Lifelines was published in 1992, who could ever have guessed the impression it would make? Compiled by a school teacher and three students, it had the most simple of premises: famous people were asked to write about their favourite poem, and both text and letter were printed. While all the proceeds went to the Third World charity, Concern, this alone could not have accounted for its popularity.
Eavan Boland in the foreword to the third Lifelines, which was published on Thursday, writes of the first volume: "I was almost taken aback by the charm, elegance and readability of the book. What's more, my own surprise surprised me."
There is something oddly compulsive about these collections. Besides bringing together an eclectic selection of poems both new and familiar, there is something intriguing about the discovery of what poems are beloved of which familiar public figures. With some contributors there is undoubtedly the additional surprise that they read poetry at all. Put together, poems and letters give an uncanny insight into people's private time.
The Lifelines project was started in 1985 by an English teacher, Niall MacMonagle from Wesley College, Dublin, in what he describes as "a response to the whole Bob Geldof, 1980s thing. All those terrible images of famine were coming back, but it's difficult to really do anything in a school . . . it's such a tiny world. This seemed to be the easiest idea - all we stood to lose was a bit of stamp money."
Between 1985 and 1992, Niall and his classes produced four small booklets each with about 50 contributions, photocopied and stapled together. When it was decided to make a book of all four volumes together, Seamus Heaney, who had contributed to the first booklet, lent his support and provided a foreword.
A second book with a foreword by Paul Durcan followed in 1994, and with the third the team hopes to bring the total of money raised to over £35,000.
The process of putting together Lifelines 3 began last November when Niall told his fifth year class to split into groups of three. The names of the groups were put into a hat and Ralph Croly, Caroline Dowling and Gareth McCluskey were chosen to compile the collection. It's hard work; choosing the hit list, finding addresses, sending off letters, typing up the replies, finding poems and chasing copyright.
The students say that the phenomenal response to their letters is the reward. This year's collection gathers together the likes of John Major and Tony Blair, Arthur Miller and Conor McPherson, Frank McCourt and Colm Toibin, James Ryan, Gary Lineker and Jeremy Clarkson. Most people have taken time over their answers, offering personal anecdotes, possible alternatives, thoughts and analyses of favourite poems.
"Choosing your favourite poem is a difficult thing to do, especially when you know your answer will be going into the public domain," says Niall MacMonagle. "I think people respond so well because it's a school project and schools are such positive places. Secondly, a life without poetry is an impoverished one and so many people turn to poetry in times of sadness or emotion. It speaks directly to people, and this book is a very personal one."
Niall also suggests that the reaction is a very Irish one. Similar projects were set up, following the Lifelines model, in both New Zealand and New York, but the response was not comparable. "Most of our contributors were Irish, and I think it shows that there is still a sense of community in Ireland. Most people knew of the collection and were delighted to be included and do their bit for charity."
Both MacMonagle and his students have their own theories as to why people keep buying the Life- lines books. Niall points out that people are interested in people and when that is put together with the richness of the poetic language, it is an unbeatable combination. Gareth McCluskey is blunter; "Well it's because they're famous people, and you often wouldn't think that they'd know and love poetry. It's fascinating."
Although the book has been signposted as the final collection, it is described as "the latest book" in the preface written by the students. "Well, we're taking a break from Lifelines as we feel that people might begin to suffer from Lifelines fatigue, but we wanted to leave it open for kids to re-open the project in 50 years' time. Let's say that this is the last book in our lifetime."
Lifelines 3 is published by Town House (£10.99)