John Montague (poet) facts for kids

John Montague (born February 28, 1929 – died December 10, 2016) was a famous Irish poet. He was born in America but grew up in Ireland. He wrote many books of poems, two collections of short stories, and two books about his life.

John Montague was one of the most well-known Irish poets of his time. In 1998, he became the first person to hold the Ireland Chair of Poetry. This important role is like being Ireland's official poet. In 2010, France gave him its highest award, the Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur.

John Montague's Early Life

John Montague was born in Brooklyn, New York City, USA, on February 28, 1929. His father, James Montague, was from County Tyrone in Ireland. He had moved to America in 1925. John's mother, Molly, joined James in America in 1928 with their two older sons.

John spent his first years playing in the streets of Brooklyn. He saw early Mickey Mouse movies and played on tenement roofs.

Moving Back to Ireland

Life in New York was hard during the Great Depression, a time when many people lost their jobs. So, in 1933, when John was four, he and his brothers were sent back to Ireland. His two older brothers went to their grandmother's house. John went to his father's old family home in Garvaghey, County Tyrone. Two of his aunts, Brigid and Freda, lived there and welcomed him.

Moving from New York to a farm in County Tyrone was a big change. John learned to do farm chores. He became a typical farm child in Ulster, a part of Ireland. He often thought about how different the house was from when his grandfather lived there. John wrote about the gardens of his Ulster home in his poem, "Paths."

John first went to Garvaghey School. Then he went to Glencull, which was three miles away. He later won scholarships to attend St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh.

John's College Years

In 1946, John Montague studied at University College Dublin. He noticed a big difference between Ulster during the war and Dublin after the war. Dublin felt quiet and sad. He started writing and publishing his first poems in magazines like The Dublin Magazine.

In 1953, Montague left for Yale University in the USA. He studied with famous writers and critics there. He learned a lot about American literature. He also worked at the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 1954 and 1955.

Middle Years: Writing and Travel

After his time in America, John Montague decided to return to Ireland. He sailed to France to marry his first wife, Madeleine. They settled in Dublin. While working at the Irish Tourist Office, he finished his first book of poems, Poisoned Lands, in 1961.

That same year, he moved to Paris, France. He lived near the famous writer Samuel Beckett. He also became friends with French poet Claude Esteban. Montague later translated some of Esteban's poems into English.

He continued to publish regularly. His first book of stories, Death of a Chieftain, came out in 1964. The famous Irish music group The Chieftains was named after this book. He also published more poetry books, A Chosen Light (1967) and Tides (1970).

During the 1960s, Montague worked on a long poem called The Rough Field. This poem was written as the Civil Rights Movement began in Northern Ireland. This movement was about people fighting for equal rights.

In 1972, The Rough Field was finally published. Montague then moved back to Ireland to teach at University College Cork. Many of his students became writers themselves. One of them, William Wall, said that Montague had a huge impact on young writers at that time. The Rough Field became known as a very important work.

Later Years: Awards and Recognition

John Montague settled in Cork with his second wife, Evelyn Robson. He published an important collection of Irish poems called The Faber Book of Irish Verse in 1974. He also released a book of poems called A Slow Dance in 1975.

He started receiving many awards. In 1976, he won the Irish American Cultural Institute award. In 1978, he received the Alice Hunt Bartlett Award for his book The Great Cloak. He also received a Guggenheim award in 1979 and 1980. These awards helped him finish his Selected Poems (1982) and his second long poem, The Dead Kingdom (1984).

In 1987, he received an honorary degree from the State University of New York. The Governor of New York praised him for his great writing. Montague also taught writing workshops at the University of Albany each spring.

In 1995, John Montague and Evelyn separated. He later married Elizabeth Wassell. He had two daughters, Sibyl and Oonagh, with his second wife, Evelyn Robson.

In 1998, John Montague was chosen as the first Irish Professor of Poetry. This was a special three-year job shared between three universities in Ireland. He held this title until 2001. In 2008, he published A Ball of Fire, which included all his fiction.

John Montague's Death

John Montague passed away in Nice, France, on December 10, 2016, at the age of 87. He died after having surgery. He was survived by his wife Elizabeth Wassell, his daughters Oonagh and Sibyl, and his grandchildren.

John Montague's Poetic Style

John Montague's poems often explore his childhood, school days, and relationships. His family history and the history of Ireland are also important topics in his poetry.

He was known for how he used sounds in his poems. He often used assonance, which is repeating vowel sounds, and echoes. He also paid close attention to how he broke lines in his poems. Montague believed that poems should have their own natural rhythm, like everyday speech.

Awards and Honours for John Montague

John Montague received many awards and honours during his life:

• In 2000, he won The Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize.
• On June 29, 2009, he received an honorary degree from the University of Ulster.
• In 2010, he was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur by France. He also received an honorary doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris.
• In 2016, he received the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Book Awards.

Collections of John Montague's Work

• A Ball of Fire
• Poisoned Lands
• Rough Field
• Time in Armagh
• Tides