Dennis O'Driscoll facts for kids

Dennis O'Driscoll (born January 1, 1954 – died December 24, 2012) was a well-known Irish poet, essay writer, and critic. Many people thought he was one of the best poets in Europe during his time. Some even said he was a much better poet than others. He was also seen as a true champion of poetry. His book about the famous poet Seamus Heaney is considered a very important biography.

Life and Career of Dennis O'Driscoll

Early Life and Education

Dennis O'Driscoll was born on January 1, 1954, in Thurles, a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. His father, James O'Driscoll, was a salesman and gardener. His mother, Catherine Lahart, was a homemaker. Dennis went to school with the Congregation of Christian Brothers.

Working for the Government

After finishing high school at age sixteen in 1970, Dennis got a job. He started working for Ireland's Office of the Revenue Commissioners. This is like the government's tax and customs office. He worked there for over thirty years full-time. He specialized in things like "death duties," "stamp duties," and "customs." These are all types of taxes and fees.

Dennis lived in Naas, County Kildare, until he passed away suddenly.

Balancing Work and Writing

In the 1970s and 1980s, Dennis had many part-time jobs related to his writing. He was a part-time editor for Tax Briefing, a technical magazine. He also wrote reviews of poetry for other magazines. From 1975 to 1980, he was part of the Irish United Nations Association. In September 1985, he married Julie O'Callaghan, who is also a writer.

Dennis stayed in his government job for a long time because of advice from a friend. The friend told him, "If you ever leave your job, you will stop writing." So, his government job became a steady way to earn money and get a pension. His poetry, however, was his true art. Even so, Dennis once wrote that he always saw himself more as a "civil servant" (someone who works for the government) than a "poet" or "artist." He felt those words were too grand for him.

Poetry and His Job

After working for the Revenue for 38 years, something special happened in 2008. Dennis was asked to write a poem for the opening of the Revenue Museum in Dublin Castle. This was the first time his job and his art came together. The poem, called At The Revenue Museum, was first printed for the opening. Now, it is displayed as an exhibit in the museum itself.

His Sudden Passing

Dennis O'Driscoll passed away suddenly at age 58 during the Christmas period in 2012. He became ill and was taken to the hospital, but he died quickly. The world of arts was very surprised and saddened by his death. He is survived by his wife, Julie O'Callaghan, and his brothers and sisters.

Many important people shared their sadness. President Michael D. Higgins said that Dennis was highly respected by everyone involved with Irish and European poetry. Joe Duffy, a radio host, called Dennis a "generous, caring and witty man." Fellow writer Belinda McKeon described him as "a scholar, a gentleman, a character, a friend." An English critic, David Morley, called him a "fine poet and great critic."

Dennis O'Driscoll's Literary Work

Writing and Reviewing

Before he published his own poems, Dennis O'Driscoll wrote many essays and poetry reviews for different magazines and journals. He was very well known for this. The Times Literary Supplement called him "one of Ireland's most respected critics of poetry." He wrote over two hundred essays and reviews.

His writings appeared in famous publications like Poetry, The London Magazine, Harvard Review, and Poetry Review. He was also invited to read his poems at places like Harvard University and major literature festivals.

His Poetry Style

Dennis O'Driscoll wrote nine books of poetry, three smaller poetry books called chapbooks, and two collections of essays and reviews. His poems often used simple, clear language. They frequently explored ideas about life, death, and how fragile everyday life can be. As he got older, his poems became even more thoughtful and appeared more often. Some critics believed he was as good as older, more famous poets. His sonnet poem 'The Bottom Line' is considered one of his most important works.

Other Literary Roles

In 1987, he worked as a writer-in-residence at the National University of Ireland for a short time. He also served as the editor of Poetry Ireland Review. He edited two poetry collections called The Bloodaxe Book of Poetry and Quote Poet Unquote.

Dennis O'Driscoll also published a collection of his literary essays and reviews called Troubled Thoughts, Majestic Dreams. A new collection of his essays, The Outnumbered Poet, was published after he passed away in 2013.

One of his most famous works is Stepping Stones: Interviews with Seamus Heaney. This is a large book of his interviews with Seamus Heaney, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. This book was published in 2008. In 2009, Dennis was a judge for the Griffin Poetry Prize, an important award for poetry.

List of Works

Poetry collections

• Kist (Dolmen Press, 1982)
• Hidden Extras (Anvil Press Poetry, London/Dedalus Press, Dublin, 1987)
• Long Story Short (Anvil Press Poetry/Dedalus Press, 1993)
• Quality Time (Anvil Press Poetry, 1997)
• Weather Permitting (Anvil Press Poetry, 1999), which was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and shortlisted for the Irish Times Poetry Prize 2001
• Exemplary Damages (Anvil Press Poetry, 2002)
• New and Selected Poems (Anvil Press Poetry, 2004) was a Poetry Book Society Special Commendation
• Reality Check (Anvil Press Poetry, 2007/ Copper Canyon Press, US, 2008), was shortlisted for the Irish Times/Poetry Now Prize
• Dear Life (Anvil Press Poetry, 2012/ Copper Canyon Press, US, 2013).
• Update (Copper Canyon Press, US, 2015)

Poetry chapbooks

• The Bottom Line (Dedalus Editions, 1994)
• 50 O'Clock (Happy Dragons' Press, UK, 2005)
• All the Living (Traffic Street Press, Minnesota, 2008).

Prose

• Troubled Thoughts, Majestic Dreams: Selected Prose Writings (Gallery Press, 2001).
• The Bloodaxe Book of Poetry Quotations (Bloodaxe Books, 2006).
• Quote Poet Unquote: Contemporary Quotations on Poets and Poetry (Copper Canyon Press, US, 2008).
• Stepping Stones: Interviews with Seamus Heaney (Faber and Faber, UK, 2008).
• The Outnumbered Poet: Critical and Autobiographical Essays (Gallery Press, 2013).

Awards and Honours

• Lannan Literary Award
• E. M. Forster Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
• O'Shaughnessy Award for Poetry from the Center of Irish Studies in Minnesota
• Poetry Book Society Special Commendation for New and Selected Poems
• Shortlisted for The Irish Times Poetry Now Award 2008 for Reality Check
• Winner of The Irish Times Poetry Now Award 2013 for Dear Life (awarded after his death)
• Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award
• Honorary doctorate in literature by University College, Dublin