‘He was Ireland’s most popular poet’ – Brendan Kennelly has died aged 85

"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,” he said in a statement this evening.

“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.”

He said that with more than 30 collections, Mr Kennelly leaves a major body of work, a legacy of teaching as Professor of Modern Literature at Trinity College Dublin, and the gratitude of so many younger poets whom he encouraged with honest and helpful critical advice.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “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.”

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."

The former Professor of Modern Literature at Trinity College Dublin died this afternoon at the age of 85 in his native Kerry surrounded by family.

Professor Emeritus at Trinity College Dublin since he retired in 2005, he had moved home to his native north Kerry in recent years, living in a retirement home not far from the historic village of his birth, Ballylongford.

He was, in the words of friend and fellow North Kerry native poet Gabriel Fitzmaurice, ‘Ireland’s most popular poet’.

“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,” Mr Fitzmaurice said.

He 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.”