Irish figures pay tribute to poet Brendan Kennelly, who has died aged 85

Leading Irish public figures have paid tribute to acclaimed poet Brendan Kennelly, who has passed away in his native Kerry over the weekend at the age of 85.

Máire Mhac an tSaoi, another hugely significant artist within Irish literature, also sadly died on Saturday at the age of 99 in her home.

Considered one of the most important Irish language poets of her time, she was also the first woman to be called to the bar in Ireland, and the first woman to make it into the department of external affairs through public competition.

Author Brendan Kennelly died at Aras Mhuire Community nursing home in Listowel, where he had resided for the last two years. He had moved back to Ballylongford in north Kerry in 2016 following decades in Trinity College Dublin where he worked as Professor of Modern Literature.

He was also a popular broadcaster, making frequent appearances on radio and television.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, President Michael D. Higgins described Kennelly and Mhac an tSaoi as "two great figures who were a loss to poetry", emphasising the greatness of their loss.

Speaking about Brendan Kennelly, President Higgins said "he forged a special place in the affections of the Irish people".

"As one of those who had the great fortune of enjoying the gift of friendship with Brendan Kennelly for many years, it is with great sadness that I have heard of his passing,” President Higgins said in a statement last night.

“As a poet, Brendan Kennelly had forged a special place in the affections of the Irish people. He brought so much resonance, insight, and the revelation of the joy of intimacy to the performance of his poems and to gatherings in so many parts of Ireland. He did so with a special charm, wit, energy and passion.”

UCD historian and niece of Brendan Kennelly, Dr Mary McAuliffe, announced the news over Twitter yesterday.

"It’s been a long 24 hours, keeping company with my beloved uncle and godfather Brendan - along with family, he slipped peacefully away from us as dusk fell over north Kerry this afternoon. We will miss him terribly Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis."

Taoiseach Micheál Martin also offered his condolences to Kennelly's family after his passing: “Very sorry to hear of the death of Brendan Kennelly. We’ve lost a great teacher, poet, raconteur; a man of great intelligence and wit. The Irish people loved hearing his voice and reading his poetry.”

With more than 30 collections, Kennelly leaves a major body of work, a legacy of teaching and the gratitude of so many younger poets who he encouraged with honest and helpful critical advice.

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said: “Tonight our country mourns the loss of an Irish giant, a Professor Emeritus, an institution, a writer, a novelist, a poet. Thank you Brendan Kennelly, rest easy.”

The provost of Trinity College Dublin, Linda Doyle also paid tribute saying: “Brendan was known to generations of Trinity students as a great teacher and as a warm and encouraging presence on campus.

"His talent for and love of poetry came through in every conversation as did his good humour. We have all missed him on campus in recent years as illness often kept him in his beloved Kerry. He is a loss to his much loved family, Trinity and the country."

Fellow Kerry poet Gabriel Fitzmaurice also shared compassionate words about his long-time friend.

“He was Ireland’s most popular poet, a very fine poet. ‘Popular’ might seem to diminish his worth but it should not. He was both hugely popular and a great poet, and he was a dear friend to many young poets when we started out, including myself."

Fitzmaurice added that Mr Kennelly was "deeply charming and charmed a nation through appearances on The Late Late Show, but behind the charm there was a depth and understanding of the Irish people and psyche, which manifested itself in his poetry.”

“There was a lovely lightness in Brendan Kennelly’s poetry,” Niall Stokes, editor of Hot Press said. “He was a wonderfully warm and gregarious character, with a fierce love of, and appetite for, life – and that was reflected in the unique immediacy of his work and in the deeply humanist ideas that helped to shape his poems. He was great company – and a huge source of good advice and support for younger writers, and for the people who were fortunate enough to be his students in Trinity College. This is a sad day. Brendan Kennelly will be greatly missed."

This is my favourite #BrendanKennelly poem. May he rest in peace. I see you dancing father. pic.twitter.com/J1yTy8HKjs

— Lilian Smith (@Lillylatelee) October 17, 2021

Photo credit: Julien Behal