Kevin Higgins (poet) facts for kids

Kevin Higgins (born in 1967 – died on January 10, 2023) was a talented Irish poet. He was known for his clever and often funny poems.

Early Life and Early Interests

Kevin Higgins was born in London, England. When he was 15 years old, he became interested in politics. He joined the Labour Party in Galway West, Ireland. This group works to improve things for people. He also joined the local Labour Youth section, which is for young people interested in the party.

A Life of Poetry and Activism

Kevin Higgins lived in London in the late 1980s. During this time, he was involved in a big movement. People were protesting against a new tax called the "poll tax." This tax made everyone pay the same amount, no matter how much money they earned. Kevin Higgins helped to speak out against it.

In the mid-1990s, he moved to Galway City in Ireland. There, he and his wife, Susan Millar DuMars, started something special. They organized "Over The Edge" literary events. These events were places where writers could share their work. People could listen to poems and stories.

Kevin Higgins also loved to teach. He led poetry workshops at the Galway Arts Centre. Here, he helped people learn how to write their own poems. He also taught creative writing at the Galway Technical Institute. He even taught at the National University of Ireland, Galway. For a time, he was a "Writer-in-Residence" at Merlin Park Hospital. This meant he was a writer who worked there, perhaps helping patients or staff with writing.

He also helped start a literary magazine called The Burning Bush. A literary magazine is a publication that shares new poems, stories, and essays.

His Books of Poems

Kevin Higgins wrote several books of poems. His first collection was called The Boy With No Face. It came out in 2005. This book was so good that it was "short-listed" for an award. This means it was chosen as one of the best new poetry books by an Irish poet.

His second book, Time Gentlemen, Please, was published in 2008. He also wrote a fourth book, The Ghost In The Lobby, which came out in 2014.

Awards and Recognition

Kevin Higgins won the Cúirt Festival Poetry Grand Slam in 2003. A "Poetry Grand Slam" is like a competition where poets perform their work. The audience often helps choose the winner.

In 2005, he received a "literature bursary" from the Arts Council of Ireland. A bursary is like a grant or scholarship. It helps artists have money to focus on their creative work.

Kevin Higgins was known as a "satirical poet." This means his poems often used humor and wit to comment on society or politics. He would make fun of things to make a point.

In 2009, a short film was made about Kevin Higgins and his wife. It was called 'Rhyming Couplet'. The film was shown at the Galway Film Fleadh, which is a film festival.

He also contributed to an ebook in 2010. It was a collection of political poems called Emergency Verse - Poetry in Defence of the Welfare State.