Paul Durcan. Courtesy Irish Writers Online.
| Paul Durcan | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Pól Mac Duarcáin |
| Born |
October 16 1944 Dublin, Ireland |
| Nationality |
 Irish |
| Occupation | poet |
| Spouse | Nessa O'Neill (1967-1984) |
| Children | 2 |
Paul Durcan (born 16 October 1944) is a contemporary Irish poet.
Life[]
Youth and education[]
Durcan was born in Dublin, and grew up there and in Turlough, co. Mayo. His father, John, was a barrister and circuit court judge; father and son had a difficult and formal relationship. Durcan enjoyed a warmer and more natural relationship with his mother, Sheila (MacBride) Durcan (through whom he is a great-nephew of both Maud Gonne, muse of W.B. Yeats, and John MacBride, a leader of the Easter Rising).[1][2]
He studied Archaeology and Medieval History at University College Cork.
While at college, Durcan was kidnapped by his family and committed against his will to Saint John of God psychiatric hospital in Dublin, and later to a Harley Street clinic where he was subjected to electric shock treatment and heavy dosages of barbiturates and Mandrax.[1][3]
Career[]
In 1966, Durcan moved to live in London, where he worked at the North Thames Gas Board. He met Nessa O'Neill in 1967; they married and had 2 daughters, Sarah and Siabhra. They lived in South Kensington, then moved to Cork, where his wife taught in a prison. The marriage ended at the beginning of 1984.[1][4]
Durcan's main published collections include: A Snail in my Prime, Crazy About Women, Greetings to Our Friends in Brazil and Cries of an Irish Caveman. He appeared on the 1990 Van Morrison album Enlightenment, giving an idiosyncratic vocal performance on the song, "In The Days Before Rock'n'Roll", which he also co-wrote.
In 2003, he published a collection of his weekly addresses to the nation, Paul Durcan's Diary, on RTÉ Radio 1 programme Today with Pat Kenny.
Between 2004-2007 Durcan was the 3rd Ireland Professor of Poetry.[5]
Writing[]
Paul Durcan 's Diary[]
This collection gives a new view of Duncan's work and a more intimate view of him and his poetry. It gives an insight into his childhood and allows readers to reflect themselves.[6]
Recognition[]
Durcan is a member of Aosdána.
He was shortlisted in 2005 for the Poetry Now Award for his collection, The Art of Life.
In 2009, Durcan was conferred with an honorary degree by Trinity College, Dublin.[7] In 2011 he was conferred with an honorary doctorate from University College Dublin.[8]
Awards[]
- 1974 - Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award
- 1989 - Irish American Cultural Institute Poetry Award
- 1990 - The Whitbread Prize (Daddy, Daddy)
- London Poetry Book Society choice for The Berlin Wall Café
Publications[]
Poetry[]
- Endsville (with Brian Lynch). Dublin: New Writers' Press, 1967.
- O Westport in the Light of Asia Minor. Dún Laoire, Ireland: Anna Livia Books, 1975
- revised edition, London: Harvill, 1995.
- Sam's Cross. Portmarnock, Ireland: Profile Poetry, 1978.
- Teresa's Bar. Dublin: Gallery, 1976;
- revised edition, Dublin: Gallery, 1986.
- Jesus, Break his Fall. Dublin: Raven Arts, 1980.
- Ark of the North. Dublin: Raven Arts, 1982.
- The Selected Paul Durcan (edited by Edna Longley). Belfast: Blackstaff, 1982.
- Jumping the Train Tracks with Angela. Manchester, UK: Carcanet /Dublin: Raven Arts Press, 1983.
- The Berlin Wall Café. Belfast & Dover, NH: Blackstaff, 1985.
- Teresa's Bar. Dublin: Gallery, 1986.
- Going Home to Russia. Belfast & Wolfeboro, NH: Blackstaff, 1987.
- Jesus and Angela: Poems. Belfast & St. Paul, MN: Blackstaff, 1988.
- Daddy, Daddy Belfast: Blackstaff, 1990.
- Crazy About Women: Poems. Dublin: National Gallery of Ireland, 1991.
- A Snail in My Prime: New and selected poems. London: Harvill / HarperCollins / Belfast: Blackstaff, 1993.
- Give Me Your Hand. London: MacMillan, 1994.
- Christmas Day; with, A goose in the frost. London: Harvill, 1997.
- Greetings to Our Friends in Brazil: One hundred poems. London: Harvill. 1999.
- Cries of an Irish Caveman. London: Harvill, 2001.
- The Art of Life. London: Harvill, 2004.
- The Laughter of Mothers.London: Harvill Secker, 2007.
- Life Is a Dream: 40 years reading poems, 1967-2007. London: Harvill Secker, 2009.
- Praise in Which I Live and Move and Have My Being. London: Harvill Secker, 2012.
- The Days of Surprise. London: Harvill Secker, 2015.
- Wild, Wild Erie: Poems inspired by works of art in the Toledo Museum of Art. Toledo, OH: Toledo Museum of Art, 2016.
Non-fiction[]
- At the Edge of the Edge of Mark Joyce (catalog). Dublin: Green on Red Gallery, 1998.
- Paul Durcan's Diary. Dublin: New Island, 2003.
Edited[]
- New Voices in Contemporary Irish Poetry. Castelknock, Ireland: Goldsmith Press, 1975.
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[9]
Audio / video[]
Irish Arts Center- Fall 2010- Poetry Fest - Paul Durcan reading "The Kilfenora Teaboy"
- The Poetry Quartets 4: Paul Durcan, Brendan Kennelly, Michael Longley, Medbh McGuckian (CD). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: British Council / Bloodaxe Books, 1999.
See also[]
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Paul Durcan, Ricorso. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
- ↑ A sharp and subtle voice, The Guardian, 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2010-06-22
- ↑ Nicola Tallant, "Kidnapped by his family and put in a mental home", Sunday Independent, 2007-05-06. Retrieved 2010-06-22
- ↑ Laughter lines that come with a dark side, Sunday Independent, 2009-10-18. Retrieved 2010-06-22
- ↑ Ireland Professor of Poetry, Previous Professors
- ↑ Goarzin, Anne (2010). "PAUL DURCAN's UNSETTLED POETRY". DQR Studies in Literature: 161.
- ↑ Durcan among four awarded degree, Paul Cullen, The Irish Times, December 11, 2009
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Search results = au:Paul Durcan, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 19, 2017.
External links[]
- Books
- Paul Durcan at Amazon.com
- About
- Paul Durcan in the Encyclopædia Britannica
- Durcan, Paul at Irish Writers Online
- Paul Durcan at the British Council
- Paul Durcan at Ricorso
- review of The Laughter of Mothers at The Guardian
| This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia. (view article). (view authors). |
|