Paul Durcan, one of Ireland’s most renowned contemporary poets, has died at the age of 80.
He was born in Dublin in 1944 and spent much time in his parents’ home county of Mayo.
Paul Durcan began his work 60 years ago with his first book ‘Endsville’, which was followed by more than 20 others.
His work is also known to younger audiences, having featured on the Leaving Cert English syllabus.
A winner of the Whitbread Poetry Prize and the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award, his publications include A Snail in My Prime, Crazy About Women, Greetings to our Friends in Brazil, and Cries of an Irish Caveman.
He also appeared on Van Morrison’s 1990 album Enlightenment.
Today’s announcement of his death will be keenly felt across the country and beyond by his many fans.
Durcan was a gifted communicator, who was celebrated for his role as a much-loved public voice, breaking barriers with his singular writing and reading style.
He developed a prominent career over the decades, publishing over 20 books.
His work won him much recognition, and awards including the ‘Patrick Kavanagh award’ for his first publication ‘O Westport in the light of Asia Minor’ in 1975.
In 2014, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement at the Irish book awards where commentator Niall McMonagle described him as providing a “soundtrack for our lives”.
In September last, Penguin Books published Paul Durcan’s collection from his past writings called ’80 at 80′ and there was a memorable celebration for him at the Gate Theatre in November presented by Poetry Ireland.
His daughter Sarah said that the family was grateful that he was able to enjoy the publication of the book and that it provides “an important overview” of his work.
In the Irish Times, Colm Tóibín who wrote the foreword for the book, described the collection as poems that “can be daring, directly personal as well as directly political”.
He added: “It is hard to think of another poet in these islands who has written such searing poems against violence, and cruelty and the politics of hate.”
The National Library of Ireland acquired his archive late last year, covering the period from the 1960s to the present day, and including hundreds of the his notebooks, letters and cards.
It was described as a collection of exceptional importance by the National Library of Ireland Director Dr Audrey Whitty.
It showed Mr Durcan as a prolific letter-writer, and included correspondence with fellow writers, including Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel and John McGahern, the library said.
Speaking at the archive event last November, his friend, archivist Catriona Crowe, said: “The great thing about him was he kept notebooks all the time.
“If ever you were out having dinner with him, he’d have a notebook, and he might take it out and write down a line that struck him, or something came into his head.
“So they’re all there, and they’re kind of an invaluable resource for students of poetry.
“The thing about Paul that singles him out, I suppose, is that you spend your time laughing when you’re reading his books, because he has such a surreal imagination. I mean, imagine writing a poem called ‘Making Love Outside Áras an Uachtaráin’.
“He is a really interesting publicly engaged, poet, who loved giving readings, who responded very well to his audiences and who wrote very, very serious poetry that had a surreal and hilarious twist to it so he was constantly surprising.”
Paul Durcan will be missed by Nessa, his daughters Sarah and Síabhra, his son Michael, his sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, and his nine grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
Tánaiste Simon Harris paid tribute, saying that Paul Durcan was “unflinchingly honest and witty” and that Ireland had lost one of its most distinctive and authentic voices.
“In the quiet spaces of ordinary moments, he found inspiration.”
Mr Harris said the poet’s work was “both accessible and deep” and “will live on for generations”.
Paul Durcan was renowned for his comic, outspoken, and deeply moving poems.
Celebrated for his irreverent, sharp lyrical and plain funny writing, his readers will mourn the loss of this much-loved Irish poet today.
