Ireland's OWN: History

 

Patrick Kavanagh (1905–1967)* —from IrishAbroad Bright and boisterous poet Patrick Kavanagh was born to a shoemaker and small farmer in County Monaghan. Leaving school at 13 to work as a cobbler like his father, he eventually opted for the life of a farmer. Patrick’s intellectual thirst remained unquenched, however, and he succeeded in carving out a literary legacy with his pen. Kavanagh’s first book of poetry, Ploughman and Other Poems, was published in 1936, followed by the semi-autobiographical The Green Fool, which sparked a vicious feud with contemporary Oliver St. John Gogarty. In 1939, Kavanagh relocated to Dublin in the hopes of launching a journalistic career. Sadly, he encountered a chilly and elitist reception from the insular Dublin literary scene, where he was largely regarded as a ‘country bumpkin.’ He persisted, however, ardently railing against the soul-crushing conformity of Irish society and the iron hand of the Church during his era. Kavanagh’s most remarkable success came in 1942 with the publication of The Great Hunger, an epic poem illustrating the hardships of Irish farming families. In 1953 he initiated an unsuccessful libel suit against The Leader for a scathing anonymous biography. Miserably defeated and in extremely poor health, he had a cancerous lung removed following the trial. Emerging from this dark period, he experienced a spiritual and literary rebirth, producing some of his finest and most lyrical poetry. Appointed to the faculty of UCD in 1959, he continued to enjoy success until his death from bronchitis in 1967. See also: Patrick Kavanagh's Poetry Page last updated 9 Mar 2006 Ireland's OWN Logo by Eamann Website Design and Celtic Background  by Míchealín Ní Dhochartaigh Copyright © 2006 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.