News
A Queen’s University award-winning poet has been named as the first ever Belfast Poet Laureate.
Dr Sinéad Morrissey, Reader in Creative Writing at the Seamus Heaney Centre at the School of English at Queen’s, was appointed Belfast Poet Laureate by the Lord Mayor of Belfast as he revealed his Vision for Belfast today (31 July).
The Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Moviehouse Cinemas and Arts and Business established the role of Belfast Poet Laureate to undertake a series of artistic duties and activities over the duration of the current Lord Mayor’s tenure of office.
In the role as Poet Laureate, Dr Morrissey will engage the people of Belfast in poetry, through a series of events, community outreach to art groups, language organisations and minority groups. She has also been commissioned to produce a series of poems about Belfast and the year as the city’s Poet that explores the theme ‘My City / Mo Chathair Féin.
Speaking about her appointment Dr Morrissey said: “Belfast is a city with an extraordinary literary tradition, especially in relation to poetry. I am therefore hugely honoured to be appointed Belfast's first Poet Laureate, and am excited to celebrate and explore further both the city and poetry in the year ahead."
Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive, at the Arts Council commented, “The Arts Council is delighted that the Lord Mayor has chosen Sinéad Morrissey as Belfast’s first Poet Laureate. Sinéad has been an outstanding voice in contemporary poetry for 15 years, winning multiple prestigious awards, including a Major Individual Artist award from the Arts Council and she is currently shortlisted for the 2013 Forward Prize for Poetry. In her role as Belfast Poet Laureate, Sinéad will bring poetry to all the people of Belfast, reflecting the creativity of women and their contribution to the historical and contemporary life and character of the city.”
Speaking about his Vision for Belfast, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, said: “In all of my work, I pledge to remain relentlessly positive about Belfast, its people and its future. Today I am revealing my vision of how I can use the office of Mayor to build a better Belfast. “
The role of Poet Laureate has a dual nature, public and private, some aspects of the role are primarily for the benefit of the community, while others are primarily to develop the poet’s artistic career. In her outreach, Sinéad will focus on the ‘Hidden Belfast’, working with ethnic groups in the city, the young, the vulnerable; helping demonstrating how together, they join, in making one city, one Belfast.
For further information on Sinead Morrissey and the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry visit: http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SeamusHeaneyCentreforPoetry/
Media inquiries to Claire O’Callaghan, Communications Office. Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5391 or email c.ocallaghan@qub.ac.uk
