Desmond Egan facts for kids

Desmond Egan is a famous Irish poet. He was born on July 15, 1936, in Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland. He has written many books of poetry, more than 20 collections! He also translated ancient Greek plays like Philoctetes by Sophocles and Medea by Euripides.

Desmond Egan's poems are very popular around the world. They have been translated into many languages. Some of these languages include French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. He also started his own publishing company called The Goldsmith Press in 1972. From 1974 to 1984, he edited an arts magazine called Era. Since 1987, he has been the artistic director of the Gerard Manley Hopkins International Festival. This festival happens every July in Kildare, Ireland.

Life Story

Desmond Egan grew up in Athlone, in the middle of Ireland. His father, Thomas Egan, was a businessman. His mother, Kathleen Garland, was a teacher. He went to St Finian's College in Mullingar for school. Later, he studied at St Patrick's College, Maynooth (now Maynooth University). He earned his first degree there in 1962. He then got his master's degree from University College Dublin in 1965.

After college, Desmond Egan went back to teach at his old school, St Finian’s. He taught Greek there from 1965 to 1971. Then, he taught English at Newbridge College in County Kildare. He decided to live in Newbridge. In 1987, he stopped teaching to focus completely on writing. He is married to another writer, Vivienne Abbot. They have two daughters named Kate and Bebhin. Desmond Egan is very good at languages. He speaks Irish fluently. He also knows French, German, and Spanish. He is even skilled in ancient Greek!

Poetry Collections

Desmond Egan has published many collections of his poems. A "collection" is like a book filled with different poems. Here are some of his notable works:

• Midland (1972)
• Leaves (1974)
• Siege (1976)
• Woodcutter (1978)
• Athlone? (1980)
• Collected Poems (1983) - This book won an award from The National Poetry Foundation of USA.
• A Song for my Father (1989)
• Peninsula (1992) - This collection features poems about the Dingle Peninsula.
• In the Holocaust of Autumn (1994)
• Elegies (1995)
• Famine (1997)
• Music (2000)
• The Hill of Allen (2001)
• Epic (2015)
• Laptop (2024)

He also wrote essays, which are short pieces of writing about a topic. One of his essay collections is The Death of Metaphor (1990).

Translated Books

Desmond Egan's books have been translated into many languages. This means people all over the world can read his poems.

• French: Several of his books, like Terre et Paix and Famine, have been translated into French.
• German: His poems are available in German, including Meine Geschichte der Irischen Dichtung.
• Dutch: Echobogen is one of his books translated into Dutch.
• Russian: Many of his selected poems are available in Russian.
• Italian: Books like Carestia/ Famine have been translated into Italian.
• Spanish: De Hambruna/ Famine is available in Spanish.
• Czech: Smiluj nad Basnikem/ Have Mercy on the Poet is a Czech translation.
• Chinese: September Dandelion is one of his works translated into Chinese.
• Polish: Poezje Wybrane/ Selected Poems is available in Polish.
• Japanese: Paper Cranes is a collection translated into Japanese.
• Greek: His poems have been translated into Greek, including Poiemata/ Poems.
• Croatian: Christ in Connaught Street and Elegies are available in Croatian.
• Hungarian: A selection of his poems has been translated into Hungarian.
• Bulgarian: Some of his selected poems are available in Bulgarian.
• Slovenian: Too Little Peace/ Selected Poems is a Slovenian translation.
• Swedish: How Lonely the Soul is a Swedish translation.

DVDs and CDs

You can also find Desmond Egan's work on audio and video!

• CD: Needing the Sea (1995) is an audio CD.
• DVD: Desmond Egan; Through the Eyes of a Poet is a DVD about him.

Editor and Reviewer

Desmond Egan has also worked as an editor. An editor helps choose and prepare writings for publication.

• He edited Poiemata Poetry and Prose for Young People (1972).
• He also co-edited Choice An Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry (1973) with Michael Hartnett.
• He was the review editor for Era Magazine from 1975 to 1978.

Poster Poems

Desmond Egan has created "poster poems." These are poems that are designed to be displayed as posters, often with illustrations. Some of his poster poems include:

• Requiem
• Listening to John McCormack
• Needing the Sea
• First Communion
• Peace

Awards and Honors

Desmond Egan has received many awards for his writing and contributions to literature:

• 1983: Stanford Poetry Award
• 1983: National Poetry Foundation of USA Award for his Collected Poems
• 1987: Chicago Haymarket Literary Award
• 1989: The Farrell Prize, New York
• 1996: He received an honorary degree (D.Litt.) from Washburn University, Kansas, USA.
• 1998: Bologna Literary Award, Italy
• 2001: Premio Anfiosso Literary Award, Italy
• 2004: Macedonia Literature Award
• 2005: Ouessant (France) International Literary Award
• 2010: Arpino (Italy): Il Libro di Pietra plaque
• 2012: Newbridge Town Culture Award
• 2015: Kildare County Council Literature Award
• 2015: IBAM, Irish Books and Media (Chicago) Award for Literature

Important Roles

Desmond Egan has held several important positions in the literary world:

• He is the founder and artistic director of The Gerard Manley Hopkins International Festival. He has held this role since 1987.
• He was a juror for The Neustadt International Literature Award in 1999.
• He served on the Cultural Relations Committee for the Department of Foreign Affairs for several years.
• He was the Honorary President of The Classical Society of Ireland in 2004.

Lectures and Readings

Desmond Egan has traveled around the world to give lectures and read his poems. He has spoken at many conferences and universities.

• In the USA: He has spoken at conferences about famous poets like Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot.
• In Europe: He has given talks in countries like Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Austria, and Sweden.
• In Asia: He has also lectured in South Korea, China, and Japan.
• In Ireland: He was the first Poet in Residence at University College Dublin. He has also spoken at the W.B. Yeats Conference and the Hopkins Festival.