Thomas Kinsella Celebratory Readings  

Posted on: 24 December 2018

Leading poets and scholars honoured the work of the great poet, Thomas Kinsella, at a special event, Thomas Kinsella Celebratory Readings, in early December at Trinity in celebration of his ninetieth year. The Dublin poet also received an honorary degree from Trinity College later that week for his lifetime achievement in poetry.

One of Ireland’s major twentieth century poets, Thomas Kinsella’s work is included in all of the major anthologies and critical surveys of Irish poetry in English. His poems are celebrated and loved for their profound personal candour and sensitivity, but also for his searing political and public critical insight.

The highlight of the celebratory evening was the poet’s own reading of a newly composed poem ‘Ritual’. He told the gathered audience that it would be his final public reading.

Over Christmas, Trinity will be broadcasting some of the poetry readings from the evening on twitter, commencing with Thomas Kinsella’s own reading. Follow us on @tcddublin #ThomasKinsella and listen into some of the memorable readings from the evening. From Christmas Eve to New’s Year Eve a poem a day will be broadcast:

Ireland Chair of Poetry, Eiléan Ní Chuileanáin reading ‘Ceremony’ and Thomas Kinsella reading his latest poem’ Ritual’;

Harry Clifton reading ‘The Good Fight: A poem for the tenth anniversary of the death of John F. Kennedy’ and Lucy Collins reading ‘The Furnace’;

Martin Dyar reading  ‘At the Water’s Edge’ and Kit Fryatt reading ‘Thinking of Mr D’:

Rosie Lavan reading ‘Mirror in February’ and Karl O’Hanlon reading ‘Baggot Street Deserta’;

Mary O’Malley reading ‘Memory of W.H Auden’ and Peter Sirr reading ‘Westland Row’;

Gerard Smyth reading ‘Dick King’ and Derval Tubridy reading ‘The Good Fight: A poem for the fifty-fifth  anniversary of the death of John F.Kennedy’;

Theo Dorgan reading ‘In Memory’;

Vincent Woods reading ‘Butcher’s Dozen’ and Thomas Kinsella reading ‘Ritual’.

Thomas Kinsella Celebratory Readings  was organised by Trinity’s Dr Philip Coleman  of the School of English and Dr Eoin Mac Cárthaigh of the Department of Irish.