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WRITER
PROFILE
Theo interviews the poet Paul Durcan who has been at the centre
of Irish cultural life for the last thirty years. His work is a fascinating
and fiercely individual journey through the psyche of a man whose interests
are eclectic and far-ranging and whose enormous reserves of empathy allow
him to explore areas of life and everyday experience with great sympathy
and wit.
Paul and Theo talk at length about the role of the poet in society about
which he has very strong feelings. He sees the poet as a kind of chronicler
of the times, absorbing the latest events and experiences and transforming
them into a kind of Everyman's journal of life. Durcan comments on the
poem he wrote immediately after the Omagh bombing as "something like that
happens and my only way to cope with it is to write my way through it
or out of it".
Durcan is renowned for his poetry readings, which are very intense performances
of his work and this intensity of feeling comes through in the interview.
He talks about the great influences on him as a poet and the list is as
diverse as his great friend Michael Hartnett and Muhammad Ali and William
Blake. He gives special reverence to his mentor Patrick Kavanagh who,
he says, listened when others wouldn't.
His poetry in the main revolves around people and their everyday experiences;
his notebook is always at hand for when he hears an interesting phrase.
This is a fascinating interview with the poet whose works include 'Daddy
Daddy' The Berlin Wall Café' and 'Greetings From Our Friends In Brazil'.
Biographical Details
Paul Durcan was born in Dublin in 1944.
In 1974 he won the Patrick Kavanagh Award and more recently the Irish
American Cultural Institute Poetry Award (1989), The Whitebread Prize
(for Daddy, Daddy, 1990) and the London Poetry Book Society choice for
The Berlin Wall Café.
His books include Endsville (with Brian Lynch) (Dublin, New Writers' Press,
1967); O Westport in the Light of Asia Minor (Dublin, Anna Livia Press,
1975); Sam's Cross (Dublin, Profile Press, 1978); Teresa's Bar (1976,
Loughcrew, Co Meath, The Gallery Press; revised edition, The Gallery Press,
1986); Jesus, Break his Fall (Dublin, The Raven Arts Press, 1980); Ark
of the North (Raven Arts Press, 1982); The Selected Paul Durcan (edited
by Edna Longley, Belfast, The Blackstaff Press, 1982); Jumping the Train
Tracks with Angela (Dublin, Raven Arts Press/ Manchester, Carcanet New
Press, 1983) ; The Berlin Wall Café (The Blackstaff Press, 1985); Going
Home to Russia (The Blackstaff Press, 1987) ; In the Land of Punt (with
Gene Lambert 1989[?]) ; Jesus and Angela [?]; Daddy, Daddy (The Blackstaff
Press, 1990); and Crazy About Women (The National Gallery of Ireland,
1991, to coincide with the exhibition of the same name).
A Snail in My Prime/ New and Selected Poems, was published by The Harvill
Press, London/The Blackstaff Press in 1993. This has been followed by
Give Me Your Hand (London, MacMillan, in association with National Gallery
Publications, 1994); Christmas Day (London, The Harvill Press, 1997);
Greetings to Our Friends in Brazil (The Harvill Press, 1999); and Cries
of an Irish Caveman (The Harvill Press, 2001). He is a member of Aosdána
and lives in Dublin.
BUY VHS DIRECT FROM LOOPLINE
Running Time: 30mins
Year Made: 2000
Price: €20 - PAL (European),
€30 - NTSC (US) plus P&P
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