Obituary - Dennis O'Driscoll

Today I learned with great sadness that Irish poet Dennis O'Driscoll has died. I heard him read but once. I met him but once, at Aldeburgh four years ago. It was late in the evening and the book stall was finally quiet enough for me to browse and decide where to invest some prize money I had won in a poetry competition. His huge book of conversations and discussions with Seamus Heaney, Stepping Stones, had not long come out. I decided on that. As I looked up to hand the book seller my hard won cash, there was Dennis. He signed it immediately, told me a little of its genesis and congratulated me on my writing. What a generous man. He will be much missed I'm sure.

Aldeburgh Poetry Festival

Apologies this is a repost as the blog received a spam comment that I have only just worked out how to remove.  Anyway, the festival was fantastic. Great to meet up with all my friends and listen to some truly worldclass stuff. Robert Hass and Kay Ryan were the big international names this year.

http://www.poetrytrust.org/