Paul Durcan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Durcan
|
|
|---|---|
| Pól Mac Duarcáin | |
Durcan in 2008
|
|
| Born | 16 October 1944 Dublin, Ireland
|
| Died | 17 May 2025 (aged 80) Dublin, Ireland
|
| Occupation | Poet |
| Years active | 1967–2016 |
| Spouse(s) |
Nessa O'Neill
(m. 1968; div. 1984) |
| Children | 2 |
Paul Francis Durcan (born October 16, 1944 – died May 17, 2025) was a famous Irish poet. He was even named the Ireland Professor of Poetry from 2004 to 2007.
Contents
Paul Durcan's Early Life and School
Paul Francis Durcan was born in Dublin, Ireland, on October 16, 1944. He grew up in Dublin. During his summer breaks, he often visited Turlough, County Mayo. His father, John, was a judge, and his mother, Sheila MacBride, was a lawyer from Westport.
In the early 1960s, Paul studied Economics at University College Dublin. Later, in the 1970s, he studied history at University College Cork.
Paul Durcan's Career as a Poet
In 1966, Durcan moved to London. There, he worked as a security guard with another Irish poet, Michael Hartnett.
Famous Poetry Collections
Paul Durcan wrote many poetry books. Some of his well-known collections include A Snail in my Prime, Crazy About Women, and Greetings to Our Friends in Brazil.
Music and Radio Work
In 1990, Paul Durcan appeared on a music album by Van Morrison. He performed a unique vocal part on the song "In the Days Before Rock 'N' Roll". He also helped write this song.
In 2003, he published a book called Paul Durcan's Diary. This book was a collection of his weekly talks on the RTÉ Radio 1 show Today with.... From 2004 to 2007, Durcan held the special title of Ireland Professor of Poetry.
Awards and Recognition for Paul Durcan
Paul Durcan was a founding member of Aosdána in 1981. This is a group for Irish artists. In 2005, his book The Art of Life was considered for the Poetry Now Award.
He received special honorary degrees from important universities. Trinity College Dublin honored him in 2009. University College Dublin also gave him an honorary doctorate in 2011.
In October 2009, Durcan was a special artist at the University of Toronto in Canada. Many of his poems are studied by students in Ireland for their Leaving Certificate exams.
Paul Durcan's Family and Later Life
Paul Durcan met Nessa O'Neill in 1967. They got married the next year and had two daughters. They lived in different places, including Barcelona and London. Later, they moved to Cork in Ireland. Their marriage ended in 1984.
Paul had a son, Michael John O'Neill, in 1988. For 35 years, he lived in Ringsend in Dublin. From there, he traveled around the world to perform his poetry. In his later years, Paul Durcan was not in good health. His collected writings were given to the National Library of Ireland in 2024.
Paul Durcan passed away on May 17, 2025, at the age of 80. He was buried in the old cemetery of Aughavale in Westport, County Mayo.
Paul Durcan's Awards
- 1974 – Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award
- 1989 – Irish American Cultural Institute Poetry Award
- 1990 – The Whitbread Award (for Daddy, Daddy)
- Poetry Book Society choice for The Berlin Wall Café
- 2001 – Cholmondeley Award
Paul Durcan's Published Works
- Endsville (1967)
- O Westport in the Light of Asia Minor (1975)
- Sam's Cross (1978)
- Teresa's Bar (1976; revised 1986)
- Jesus, Break his Fall (1980)
- Ark of the North (1982)
- The Selected Paul Durcan (1982)
- Jumping the Train Tracks with Angela (1983)
- The Berlin Wall Café (1985)
- Going Home to Russia (1987)
- Daddy, Daddy (1990)
- Crazy About Women (1991)
- A Snail in My Prime: New and Selected Poems (1993)
- Give Me Your Hand (1994)
- Christmas Day (1997)
- Greetings to Our Friends in Brazil (1999)
- Cries of an Irish Caveman (2001)
- The Art of Life (2004)
- The Laughter of Mothers (2007)
- Life Is a Dream: 40 Years Reading Poems 1967-2007 (2009)
- Praise In Which I Live And Move And Have My Being (2012)
- The Days of Surprise (2015)
- Wild, Wild Erie: Poems Inspired by Paintings and Sculpture in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio (2016)
Paul Durcan's Diary
This collection of writings gives a special look into Paul Durcan's work. It also shares more personal details about him and his poetry, including insights into his childhood.
Images for kids
-
Durcan in 2018
