National Library of Ireland marks acquisition of Paul Durcan Archive

The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has today (11.11.24) announced the acquisition of a second tranche of papers of the poet Paul Durcan. Covering the period from the 1960s to the present day, the archive includes hundreds of the poet’s notebooks and folders with manuscript drafts of poems and other works, as well as annotated ‘reading copies’ of the poet’s publications, letters, cards and ephemera. The archive was acquired through funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sport, and Media.

One of Ireland’s most renowned contemporary poets, Paul Durcan began writing in the 1960s. A member of Aosdána, Durcan has published many books of poetry since then. His awards include the poetry category in the Whitbread Literary Awards (later the Costa Book Awards) in 1990. President Mary Robinson quoted one of his poems in her inauguration speech that same year. He served as Professor of Poetry for Ireland from 2004 to 2007.

The archive shows Durcan as a prolific letter-writer and includes correspondence with fellow writers - including Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel and John McGahern - about literary and personal matters, along with a wide range of other literary figures, as well as politicians and artists.

A small collection of letters from Douglas Hyde, Maurice Moore and Maud Gonne, and MacBride family history materials, to which Durcan is connected through his maternal grandfather, are also included in the archive.

The acquisition completes the NLI’s existing holdings of Paul Durcan papers, acquired in 2006, making it the key repository for the study of Paul Durcan’s life and work in Ireland.

Commenting, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD said: “Paul Durcan has long been one of Ireland’s most acclaimed poets. I am delighted that my Department was in a position to support the NLI to acquire this remarkable collection, which will be catalogued and publicly available through the NLI.”   

Director of the National Library of Ireland, Dr Audrey Whitty, said: “The archive offers a valuable insight into Paul Durcan’s development as a writer, his creative processes, and his career. Of exceptional importance in its own right, this collection will complement our existing holdings of Paul Durcan papers and the Durcan material in our other literary collections. It will further enhance the National Library’s reputation as a centre for Irish literary scholarship and research.”

Sarah and Síabhra Durcan said: “We are delighted that Paul Durcan’s archive and papers will find a permanent home at the National Library of Ireland and that researchers here will have the opportunity to access this material about his lengthy creative career and life. Our thanks to the team at the National Library for taking the archive into their care, protecting and sharing Paul’s work and legacy.”

The Paul Durcan Archive will be made available to researchers in due course, following the completion of cataloguing and conservation processes.

ENDS