Poet Harry Clifton Announced as Ireland Professor of Poetry 2010
Posted on: 01 July 2010
Dublin-born poet Harry Clifton was recently announced as the fifth Ireland Professor of Poetry by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen. The prestigious prize, established following the award of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Seamus Heaney, is a collaborative initiative by Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, the Arts Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, to celebrate the contribution of Irish poets to the world of literature.
As the Ireland Professor of Poetry, Clifton will spend one term during each of the three year post in Trinity College where he will run informal workshops, lectures and readings for the public. He will also teach at UCD and QUB and make three formal presentations during his professorship. Speaking about his appointment Clifton said: “This is a huge honour and totally unexpected. To succeed Michael Longley, one of the most admired poets in the language itself, let alone the country, is especially wonderful.”
Harry Clifton.
Harry Clifton has produced numerous collections of poems including The Desert Route: Selected Poems 1973-1988 and Secular Eden: Paris Notebooks 1994-2004. His work has won numerous awards and distinctions and has been translated into several European languages. Pat Moylan, Chairwoman of the Arts Council said: “Clifton is a gifted and internationally respected poet and is a writer deeply committed to the art of poetry making this honour richly deserved. The role of the Ireland Professor of Poetry has gained momentum and profile in recent years, developing increased enthusiasm for poetry among both students and the general public. Literature plays a vital and unique role in enhancing the quality of our cultural life.”
Previous holders of the Ireland Professor of Poetry include Professor John Montague (1998-2001); Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill (2001-2004); Paul Durcan (2004-2007) who received an honorary degree from TCD in 2009; and Michael Longley (2007-2010).