Irish Poet Reads from Award-winning Works

BUFFALO, NY – Award-winning Irish poet Bernard O’Donoghue will speak at Canisius University on Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center for theninth annual Hassett Reading presented by the Contemporary Writers Series. O’Donoghue will read from his works, followed by an audience question and answer period. Seating is limited and is on a first come, first-served basis. The evening events, which are all free and open to the public, will conclude with a reception and book-signing. 

O’Donoghue was born in Cullen, Co. Cork, Ireland. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Lincoln College, Oxford, and is currently a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, where he teaches medieval literature. O’Donoghue has published Seamus Heaney and the Language of Poetry, a verse translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and five collections of poetry, including Gunpowder, winner of the Whitbread Award for Poetry. HisSelected Poems were published in 2008. O’Donoghue’s most recent collection of poems is Farmers Cross.

The Contemporary Writers Series was developed by Mick Cochrane, PhD, professor of English and Lowery Writer-in-Residence at Canisius. The series was founded with a grant from The John R. Oishei Foundation, and continues through the generous support of the Peter Canisius Distinguished Teaching Professorship Program, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Quasi Endowment, the Fitzpatrick Chair, and the Hassett and Scoma Endowments; and with the cooperation of The Buffalo and Erie Country Public Library, Just Buffalo Literary Center, the Western New York Writing Project and Talking Leaves Books. 

For more information on the Contemporary Writers Series, contact Cochrane at 716-888-2662 or visit canisius.edu/writers. 

Canisius University is one of 28 Catholic, Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders – intelligent, caring, faithful individuals – able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.