Brendan Kennelly facts for kids

Timothy Brendan Kennelly (born 17 April 1936 – died 17 October 2021), known as Brendan Kennelly, was a famous Irish poet and novelist. He was also a professor at Trinity College Dublin, a well-known university in Ireland, until 2005. After he retired, he became a Professor Emeritus there.

Early Life and Education

Brendan Kennelly was born in Ballylongford, a small town in County Kerry, Ireland, on 17 April 1936. He was one of eight children in his family. His father, Tim, owned a pub and a garage, and his mother, Bridie, was a nurse.

Brendan went to St. Ita's College in Tarbert, County Kerry. He was very good at his studies and earned a scholarship to study English and French at Trinity College Dublin. While at Trinity, he was the editor of the student magazine Icarus. He also led the Trinity Gaelic Football Club as captain.

He graduated from Trinity College in 1961 with top honors. Later, in 1967, he earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree there. He also spent a year studying at Leeds University in England. In 1967, he became a fellow at Trinity College Dublin, and in 1989, he became a senior fellow.

Brendan Kennelly's Poetry

Brendan Kennelly was a very active writer, creating more than fifty books of poetry. His poems often used everyday language and felt very real. One of his long poems, "The Book of Judas," which was 400 pages long, became a bestseller in Ireland in 1991.

Some of his early poetry collections include My Dark Fathers (1964) and Collection One: Getting Up Early (1966). He also wrote two novels, "The Crooked Cross" (1963) and "The Florentines" (1967). He even wrote three plays based on ancient Greek stories: Antigone, Medea, and The Trojan Women.

Brendan Kennelly was also fluent in the Irish language (Gaelic). He translated many Irish poems into English, sharing them with more readers. Some of his translated works include "A Drinking Cup" (1970) and "Love of Ireland: Poems from the Irish" (1989).

Writing Style and Voice

Language was very important in Brendan Kennelly's writing. He loved using the everyday words and phrases from the small towns in North Kerry where he grew up. He also used the language he heard on the streets and in the pubs of Dublin, where he spent many years.

He was known for his amazing ability to recite poems from memory, both his own and others'. He could recall long poems and say them perfectly. He once said about his writing: "Poetry is an attempt to cut through the effects of deadening familiarity … to reveal that inner sparkle." This means he wanted his poems to make people see things in a fresh, exciting way.

Personal Life

Brendan Kennelly married Margaret (Peggy) O'Brien in 1969. They both worked at universities. They had one daughter named Kristen, who was often called "Doodle." They lived in Sandymount, Ireland, before they later divorced.

Brendan Kennelly passed away on 17 October 2021, at the age of 85. He was living in a care home in Listowel during his last two years. His daughter, Doodle, passed away in April 2021, just six months before him.

Awards and Recognitions

Brendan Kennelly received many awards for his writing and contributions to literature:

• 1967 Æ Memorial Prize
• 1988 Critics Special Harvey's Award
• 1996 IMPAC International Dublin Literary Award
• 1999 American Ireland Fund Literary Award
• 2003 The Ireland Funds of France Wild Geese Award
• 2010 Irish PEN Award