Robert Greacen

Robert Greacen
1920-2008

Robert Greacen died on Sunday 13th April 2008 at the age of 87. Robert was a member of Aosdána and former winner of the Irish Times Prize for Poetry. Salmon published his New & Selected Poems in 2006.

Born in Derry in 1920, he grew up in Belfast and spent much of his childhood in County Monaghan. He was educated at Methdodist College, Belfast, and later studied at Trinity College, Dublin, where he began to publish poems and essays.

He lived in London for many years, working in journalism and adult education, and co-edited the 'Faber Book of Contemporary Poetry' in 1949 with Valentin Iremonger at the request of TS Eliot, before returning to Dublin, where he lived until his death.. Robert Greacen won the Irish Times Literature Prize For Poetry for his 'Collected Poems 1944-1994' in 1995, after which he commented: "As a younger man I was a wordy spinner. My later work is less wordy, more compressed."

After his death, tributes were paid by fellow poets and academics. The poet Anthony Cronin. a Saoi (senior member) of Aosdána said: "His early poems are remarkable, particularly 'The Blackbird', which is a strange and original poem." Professor Terence Brown of Trinity College Dublin said: "We will miss the urbane, courteous intelligence that formed the basis of Robert's quiet toned, always engaging poetry."

A memorial service was held in Findlater's Church in Dublin on Saturday, 19 April, 2008.