Jim Craven facts for kids
James Craven (1935–1980) was a talented Irish poet. He was born in Balregan, a small place near Dundalk in County Louth, Ireland.
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Life of James Craven
James Craven lived most of his life at his family home in Balregan. Even though he won a writing award at 15, he finished school after his Intermediate Certificate exams. He worked in different office jobs in Dundalk, and for short times in Dublin and Leeds.
In the 1970s, he was active in the Labour Party, helping out at a local level. Jim Craven became quite well-known in his area. He was famous for his frequent public poetry readings. He sadly died in a car accident in 1980.
His own words are written on his headstone at Brid-a-Crin cemetery near Dundalk. They say:
- I’m not away
- I shine in all your shaven
- faces
- Whisper through the
- mystery of trees
James Craven's Poetry and Plays
And the children that are in thee –
Splash VAMPIRES on your banners to re-shock us.
Thalidomides of childhood.
Shout it from the house-tops daily,
Bansheeing nightmares end.
Lead the weak from out the murdering maze
Into the sun of all-forgiving love.
Jerusalem’s daughters rise from stricken bedsides,
From gravesides, in a daze of calm resolve,
With unaccusing light in phoenix eyes –
The children that are in thee.
But “Peace” itself lacks punch like watery prayers.
Try “Tolerance,” “Humanity,” say “Pity,”
Say “Wholesome,” “Big,” “Courageous” –
Just demand it!
No looking back except to strengthen fervour.
The future’s only forward,
Don’t stop now!
Warning note to murder’s sick machine –
We give no warning.
Jim Craven wrote many poems during his life. Experts have praised the quality of his work. His poems appeared in newspapers, magazines, and poetry books both in Ireland and other countries.
Two collections of his poems were published after he passed away. These were Selected Poems in 1983 and Nice of You Jim in 2005. His work was also included in other poetry books like A Patrick Kavanagh Anthology (1973) and Poetry of the Cúchulainn Country (1978).
Besides poetry, Craven was also involved in theatre in Dundalk. He wrote several plays and was a well-known actor in the local area.
Themes and Style in Craven's Work
“Oh how I’ve suffered” – listen to yer man
So has every mother’s son;
So does every manjack of us
Hour into hour.
Your vale of tears is an endless boil
Eating from life’s blind sore.
Shuddering grief on the pillow-fright,
Lonely woe.
Remorse is a mastiff bared to bite,
“Get him boy!”
His master, the keeper of sleepless nights
Makes torture slow.
Boredom wears out the motorway,
Cruising slow,
Chalking up miles of murdered day
Pursuing joy.
The dried-up brain is going grey
And nothing grows.
Nobody cries in the narrow grave –
The grief’s behind.
And surgeons armed with their degrees
Relieve with knives.
But who can carry flowers to the mind?
Craven's poetry often explored topics important to Irish writing at the time. During the period known as the Irish Troubles in the 1970s, he wrote strongly about the violence happening in Ireland. He believed it was pointless and wrong.
Language was very important to Jim Craven's work. He was known as the 'Bard of Balregan'. This means he was seen as an artist who kept alive the local sayings and unique way of speaking from his region. He often mentioned specific places and landmarks in his poems. This helped create a clear picture of rural Irish life for his readers.
His writing often showed both sadness and a playful side. When he wrote about feeling down, his poems expressed deep sorrow and loneliness. But he also used sharp humor to make fun of people he thought deserved it. This included everyone from religious leaders and poor people to politicians. Some people believe that if Craven had lived longer, he would have become an even greater artist. However, the large amount of writing he left behind shows his special and amazing talent. The Irish playwright John B. Keane once called him 'a totally dynamic genius'.
Remembering Jim Craven
Someone lifted the tar barrel top
Slowly, nervously.
There it curled, thick as our wrists.
We, vulnerably barefoot in the river.
It glided quickly away,
McElroy went murdering in with the graip –
Stabbed, it kept going, wounds red.
Seemed to face its attackers,
Fight back.
The graip was doing its work;
Bridge, brae watching.
Would the creature never give up?
Would nausea get us first?
Was it so thrilling?
Mercy told us to finish the job;
Battered its head against the bridge,
The longest eel we’d ever seen –
Finally stretched dead.
In April 2010, people marked the thirtieth anniversary of Jim Craven's death. They held a special event at his graveside. It included poetry readings and tributes to the poet.
In October 2010, a play called Sometimes the Sun Screams was performed. This play was based on Jim Craven's life and his writings. His brother, Paddy Craven, wrote the play. It was shown at An Táin theatre in Dundalk as part of a theatre festival. The play was very popular. It helped bring new interest to Craven's work in his hometown.
