Tributes to poet Michael Longley on his death at the age of 85
the countrysideTributes have been paid to acclaimed Belfast-born poet Michael Longley, who has died aged 85.
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said he considered him “a peerless poet” and that he would be recognized as one of Ireland’s greatest ever poets.
Longley was born in July 1939 and lived in the city until his death, which was announced on Thursday.
He went to school at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution before studying at Trinity College Dublin, where he became immersed in poetry.
awarded a CBE
Longley received many prestigious awards for his work during his illustrious career, including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize, and the Whitbread Poetry Prize.
When he was 30, he published his first collection of poetry, No Continuing City.
Living in Belfast at the height of the Troubles, Longley was initially reluctant to write about the conflict, but said that it had affected him personally and was explored in some of his poems, including The Ice Cream Man.
In 1994, he wrote perhaps his most famous poem, Ceasefire.
The poem reflects the sectarian violence experienced by many people in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 80s and was inspired by the announcement of the IRA ceasefire in the mid-90s.
He was appointed CBE in 2010 and was awarded the Freedom of his native city in 2015 for his contribution to literary and cultural life.
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Many tributes were paid to Michael Longley on Thursday.
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said: “It has long been my belief that his work is of a standard that would be appropriate for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
“The scope of his work was enormous, whether it ranged from the heartbreak of loss to the reassurance of the resiliency of the beauty in nature.”
Artist Colin Davidson posted a tribute alongside a photo of two paintings of his “dear friend”.
“Today, I am filled with a feeling of sadness and pride,” he said.
“Michael was one of Belfast’s great men. One of the Irish greats. One of the world’s great men.
“A poet whose work quietly whispers the truths we all need to hear.”
In a statement, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) said the poet’s “profound contribution to literature and his deep connection to our city have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape”.
