Louis de Paor

Life
1961- ; b. Cork [var. Louís De Paor]; ed. Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh; co-founded the poetry magazine Innti with Michael Davitt, Nuala ní Dhomhnaill, et al.; completed PhD on Máirtín Ó Cadhain [q.v.] (UCD 1986); moved to Australia, 1987, and made programmes in Irish on Special Broadcasting Services; issued Próca Solais is Luatha (1988), with Coisceim; published bilingual collection, Aimsir Bhreicneach/Freckled Weather (1993), shortlisted for Victorian Premier’s Award for Literary Translation; holder of Writer’s Fellowship by the Australia Council, 1995; issued 30 Dán (1992), winner of Seán Ó Ríordáin Oireachtas Poetry Award; issued Gobán Cré is Cloch/Sentences of Earth and Shore (1996);

returned to Ireland, settling in Galway, 1996; appt. director of Centre for Irish Studies, NUI (Galway U.); issued Seo, Siúd agus Eile (1997); received 4th annual Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award for Poetry (St Thomas in St Paul, Minnesota), March 2000; issued Agus Rud Eile De (2003); app. Director of Irish Studies, NUI Galway; received the O’Shaughnessy Poetry Award of Univ. of St Thomas, Minnesota, 2000 ($5,000); issued Agus Rud Eile, De (2003), winner of Oireachtas prize; issued Ag Greadadh Bas sa Reilig / Clapping in the Cemetery (2005), a bilingual collection of his poems, 1988-99, with translation by Biddy Jenkinson, Mary O’Donoghue, and Kevin Anderson; he is Director of the Centre of Irish Studies at NUI Galway; issued a documentary on Sean Ó Riordáin (TG4, 2013); drives a Mercedes.

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Works
Poetry collections
  • Próca Solais is Luatha: Dánta 1980-1987 (Dublin: Coiscéim 1989), 43pp.
  • Coiscéim na hAoise Seo: Seán Ó Tuama agus Louis de Paor a roghnaigh (Dublin: Coiscéim 1991) 153pp.
  • Faoin mBlaoisc Bheag Sin: an Aigneolaíocht i Scéalta Mháirtín Uí Chadhain (BAC: Coiscéim 1992), 388pp.
  • 30 Dán (Dublin: Coiscéim 1992).
  • Aimsir Bhreicneach / Freckled Weather (Leros Press 1993),
  • Gobán Cré is Cloch / Sentences of Earth and Shore (Melbourne: Black Pepper Press 1996; rep. 1997).
  • Seo, Siúd agus Uile (Dublin: Coscéim 1997).
  • Agus Rud Eile De (Dublin: Coiscéim 2003), 56pp., Do. [bilingual edn. as Agus rud eile de / And Another Thing (Cló Iar-Chonnacht 2010), 104pp.
  • Ag Greadadh Bas sa Reilig / Clapping in the Cemetery (Cló Iar-Chonnachta 2005), 232pp. [bilingual selected collection, with trans. by Biddy Jenkinson, Mary O’Donoghue & Kevin Anderson].
  • Agus Rud Eile De / And Another Thing (Indréabhain: Cló Iar-Chonnact 2010), 104pp., ill. [bilingual selected collection, with trans. by Biddy Jenkinson, Mary O’Donoghue & Kevin Anderson; ill. by Kathleen Furey; musical settings by Ronan Browne].
Miscellaneous
  • Ed., Leabhar Sheáin Uí Thuama (Coiscéim 1998) [25 poets in Irish, Scots Gaelic and English.]
  • Corcach agus Dánta Eile (Dublin: Coiscéim 1999).

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Criticism
Simon Caterson, ‘Cultural Activist’ [interview], in Irish Studies Review, 6 (Spring 1994), pp.13-15. Frank Sewell, ‘Between Two Languages: Poetry in Irish, English and Irish English’, in Matthew Campbell, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Contemporary Irish Poetry (Cambridge UP 2003), pp.149-68.

See also review in Irish Literary Supplement ([q. iss.] 1995), p.35, which cites de Paor’s challenge to the ‘prevailing Irish postcolonial orthodoxy’ from his adopted Australia (Innti, Vol. 14); also Irish Times notice (22 July 1997).

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Notes
Munster Writers: Louis De Paor appeared in In the Hands of Erato - a documentary produced and directed by Liz O’Donoghue for Munster Arts Centre in 2003 - reciting his poetry likewise featuring Greg Delanty, Thomas McCarthy, Patrick Cotter, Conal Creedon, Trevor Joyce, Patrick Galvin, Theo Dorgan, John Montague, Roz Cowman, Robert O’Donoghue, Rosemary Canavan, Gerry Murphy, Gregory O’Donoghue, Aíne Miller and Liz O’Donoghue. Original music and soundtrack by Martin Moylett. Camera, sound and editing by Dave Whelan. Additional editing by Neil Patrick McCarthy. Copyright held by Liz O’Donoghue. (Aug. 2018).Available at YouTube - online; accessed 19.08.2024.)

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