Louis de Paor facts for kids

Louis de Paor is a famous poet who writes in the Irish language. He was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1961. He has written many collections of poetry and is known for his unique style.

Louis de Paor's Life Story

Louis de Paor grew up in Cork, Ireland. He went to Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh for his education. Later, he became the editor of an Irish language magazine called Innti. This magazine was started in 1970 by other well-known Irish poets like Michael Davitt and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill. Louis de Paor also earned a special degree, a PhD, in Modern Irish from the National University of Ireland in 1986. His studies focused on the writer Máirtín Ó Cadhain.

Time in Australia

In 1987, Louis de Paor and his family moved to Australia. They lived in a city called Melbourne. While there, he continued to write poetry. He also gave readings of his poems. He even broadcast in Irish on a special radio and TV network called the Special Broadcasting Service. This network helps people from different backgrounds share their languages and cultures. He received special help, called scholarships, from the Australia Council in 1990, 1991, and 1995.

Return to Ireland

Louis de Paor returned to Ireland in 1996. Today, he is the Director of the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway. He has also worked with other Irish language writers, like Seán Ó Tuama. Together, they edited a book of Irish poetry from the 20th century. He has also published academic works, which are scholarly writings.

Louis de Paor's Poetry

Louis de Paor has won many awards for his poetry. He has been very successful in the Oireachtas literary competitions. His first collection of poems, Próca solais is luatha, won a prize called Duais an Ríordánaigh. He has won this award several times since then.

Collections of Poems

Some of his other poetry books include 30 dán (published in 1992), Corcach agus dánta eile (published in 1999), and Agus rud eile de (published in 2002). Two collections of his poems came out during his time in Australia. These were Aimsir bhreicneach / Freckled weather (1993) and Ríleanna báistí (1992). His most recent collection is Agus Rud Eile De/ And Another Thing, which was published in 2010.

Poetry Style

Louis de Paor's early poems were known for being light, clear, and direct. Over time, his style has become deeper and more complex. However, he still writes poems that many people can connect with. Much of his work is published in two languages, both Irish and English.

Artistic Collaborations

Louis de Paor has also worked with talented traditional musicians. He has collaborated with the piper Ronan Browne. He has also worked with the Irish-Egyptian sean-nós singer Naisrín Elsafty. Sean-nós singing is a very old and traditional style of Irish singing.