Paul DURCAN

My deepest condolences to all of Paul's family and friends. I had the pleasure and honour to meet and work with Paul when I was performing as jazz vocalist in "A Snail in my Prime", a wonderful collaboration between Paul and composer Michael Holohan, and which won the overall award in the Radio Celtic Music Section at Quimpers, Brittany, France in 2002. His genius was phenomenal, and his passing is a great loss to the arts community. We'll not see his like again. May Paul rest in peace.

To Nessa, Sarah, Siabhra and Michael and all the extended family, Brigid and I send our deep condolences. From my days baby-sitting the (very little) girls, in Cork, we looked out for, and loved Paul’s readings on radio and television. As I read Paul’s Diary, from the RTE’s Pat Kenny programmes 2001-2003, I can only say he was and is, a Shining Light.
Beannacht Dé ar a hAnam.

I met Paul on July 14th 1999 when I found him peering in the window of my main street home. There were five small children under the age of five running around the house and back yard, so I opened the front door. "Oh you're Paul Durcan". He was fascinated by the ponsettia in full bloom on a hot summers day in my front room window in Enniskerry. Suffice to say Paul spent the afternoon drinking tea in my kitchen as we chatted about life. His good friend Donal McCann was terminally ill and he subsequently died three days later. I wrote to Paul to express my sympathy and on foot of that we had years of correspondence. He was kind, thoughtful, gentle and hilariously funny. Thank you Paul. To his family my deepest sympathy. He was a gifted human.

Ireland has lost another of the handful of people who have made this life worth living for the rest of us.

Heartfelt condolences dear Paul

We extend our deepest sympathy to all of Paul’s loving family on his passing. We have such fond memories of Paul in Dugort with my late husband, Pauric Carr. They became great friends and we always enjoyed his visits whenever he was in Achill. Paul wrote a poem for our dear son Patrick and this holds such a special pride of place in our home and in my heart. We will miss you Paul. May your gentle soul Rest In Peace.

Deepest sympathy to all the family on Paul's passing. Have fond memories of Paul spending his days in Hopkins Bar writing while " The Judge" and my father golfed and the rest of the kids were carefree on their holidays.Little did we know the impact those workings would have on us. Thank you, Paul.

My heartfelt sympathy to all Paul’s family. I have such happy memories of performing in “Danny boy” in the garden in Dartmouth square in 1956 with Paul directing! Our mothers were fond friends and He inscribed lovely words for mum at a book launch in cork many years ago. I love reading his poetry.May his gentle and witty soul rest in peace.

His poems made me smile. May he rest in peace.
Sinead Quinn
Carrick on Shannon
.

Paul Durcan was a unique, quixotic, witty, poignant,wonderfully talented poet and, I believe, a very kind man.
His work sustained my youth.
May he rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his family and all who mourn him.

Sincere sympathies to Siabhra and all of your family on the death of your dad. Fond memories of him in Athlone Community College. God grant him eternal rest.

Deepest condolences to Síabhra, Sarah, Nessa, Michael and to all the family and friends of Paul Durcan. He leaves an incredible and enduring legacy through his iconic work, and we will miss his radical and powerful voice. With sincere sympathies and best wishes, Ivana.

Sincere sympathy to Paul's family and friends. Very privileged to have experienced some of his wonderful Doneraile poetry readings, particularly from "Sam's Cross " and his poem about making love outside Áras an Uactaráin. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

I sympathise with the family and friend's on the passing of Paul. I knew him in a previous lifetime. May he rest in the fullness of God's Love and Peace.

Пусть твой отец покоится с миром, Шивра, прими мои соболезнования!

Sincere condolences; not only an incomparable poet but an individual who called out the malignancies of certain organizations at the time which were admirably illustrated on the Pat Kenny Show. Got all - not some - of your collections and compilations. May Paul Rest In Peace .

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Sincere sympathy to Paul's loving family.Thank God for his poetic genius and most of all his humanity.I'm quietly weeping for the passing of Paul, Pauline Bewick, Seamus Begley and Liam Og O Flynn and so many artists who made life so worthwhile.It is beautiful to see his casket before the altar.He has come full circle and his "one precious life" made such a difference.

Sincere sympathy to Ivan and the extended Durcan family on your sad loss. May Paul rest in peace.

Siabhra and family, sincere condolences on the loss of your father. May he rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy to Sarah and Síabhra and to all the family. Thinking of you all.

I had the great fortune to meet Paul at a debate he was speaking in at my university nearly forty years ago, where he spoke beautifully and eloquently on the necessity of art. I’ve been an avid reader of his mesmerising poetry ever since, which has given me great joy. My sincerest condolences to his family, friends and all who loved him. Rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to you all on the sad passing of Paul. I loved listening to him on the radio over the years reading his poetry. An absolute gentleman who has left his words behind him for us all to read. Rest peacefully Paul a legend of words 🙏

Sincere sympathy to the Family of the late Paul, especially the Joyces who I remember fondly from Glasnevin N.S.;
thoughts too of the magical readings from long ago in Doneraile where Paul brought delight to us, including my late father. His gift of elevating the simple with the momentous endeared him to all who shared in his wonderous voice.
His legacy to Ireland is great, his warmth, gentility and sense of Justice has enriched us.
Leaba i measc na Naomh go raibh aige.

Deepest sympathy to Paul’s family. I have fond memories of the UCD days and meeting in an Irish pub in London. I was overwhelmed by Paul’s A Giant at My Shoulder: John XXIII. And lucky to hear it repeated on RTE radio early one Sunday morning. May he rest in peace.

Nessa and extended family, thinking of you most especially at this sad and difficult time. Codladh sámh Paul.

RIP. Paul.
Condolences to the Family.
Paul loved walking along the grass verge on the Pigeon House road.
Always stop for a chat.
Lovely Man, Great Poet.

Condolences to all his family. Greatly appreciated in life. Much praised in death. A national poet of his time.

Dear Siabhra, I was so sorry to hear the sad news of your fathers passing, condolences to you and your family.

Dear Sarah and Siabhra
Sincerest condolences on the passing of your beloved father Paul. May he rest in peace. Paul was a great poet who made his voice and vision accessible to all. He will be hugely missed. Sympathies also to Mark and Blaise and your families.

Sarah so sorry for your loss, Paul was a wonderful poet his legacy will live on.

Deepest sympathy to Sarah, Mark and family, and to the extended Durkan family. May Paul rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy to Sarah and family on the sad loss of your father.May he Rest in Peace.

Sincere sympathy to Sarah, Mark and Family on the passing of your Father, a man of great substance. May this day be a day of beautiful reflection as you say farewell to your loved one. kind regards Kathlyn.

Rest in peace Paul. A unique man and a brilliant poet. We prayed for you at Mass in Blessington on Wednesday.Catherine

Sincere sympathy to Sarah, Mark, Rosie, Kitty, Edward, Julia and the extended Durcan family on the passing of Paul. An extraordinary man. May the happy memories you have of him bring you comfort in your grief. May Paul rest in eternal peace 🙏 🕯

Paul, thank you for your wonderful poem about my father Sean. Than God i got to read ot to the congregation at his funeral. You captured him so well in your verses. Thank you. He loved it

I was very sad to hear of Paul's death. To all of Paul's family, friends, fellow poets and writers I offer my sincere sympathy.
I have very nice memories of Paul staying in our house in Inniskeen for the Patrick Kavanagh weekends. He wrote about one of these visits to Inniskeen in his Diaries which Paul himself read out on the Pat Kenny radio show. I bought two of his diaries for my children which he included in his diary. On another stay with us he signed the books and wrote very personal and kind messages to both of them. Thank you.
Rest in Peace Paul.

Deepest sympathy to Paul's family, may he rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy to his family on the sad loss of Poet Durcan.

came to our secondary school years ago, still remember him reading his Drimoleague Blues, a fan since, R.I.P

We offer our sincere condolences to Nessa, Sarah, Siabhra and Michael and families on the sad occasion of Paul’s death. Tony recalls Paul joining Dublin’s literary life soon after leaving school. Dylan Thomas was an early influence. We met Paul frequently over the years. We were delighted to receive a poem as a wedding present in 1971 and also to hear Paul at Tony’s retirement event from the HSE, when he gave a humorous account of escapades over the years.
Paul was absolutely unique, we won’t see his like again. RIP
Tony and Rachel Carroll

It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of one of our finest poets. May he rest in eternal peace, safe in the arms of Jesus

Sincere condolences to Sarah and Paul's family on your sad loss. He was a great supporter of the Achill Heinrich Boll Association, and we enjoyed readings from his 80th birthday anthology just two weeks ago in St. Thomas's Dugort. He will be missed by his many friends in Achill.

Sincere sympathy to all Paul’s family on his very sad death, sympathy also to his cousins the McBride’s and Ruddy families in Westport, May he Rest in Peace

Deepest sympathy to Nessa and all Paul’s family on their very sad loss. How tragic that his wonderful voice, that made his readings of his own poems so memorable, has fallen silent; but he has the immortality that is the just reward of great writers. His poems have wonderful combination of profound emotion, shrewd observation, wit and humour.
I mourn the loss of a great poet and of a warm-hearted friend of my youth.

Our deepest condolences to Paul’s family.

Paul had visited us at the school to speak to our students. He spent two hours speaking about his work, answering questions and taking photos with the students – mementos that are still cherished nearly a decade on.

The most remarkable thing about that talk was the readings. Paul could take the tribulations of life and craft them into beautifully expressive and evocative works on the page, but as he read them aloud it was almost alchemical. He could take the simplest word and wield it with such gentle grace that it would seem to shimmer with all the hues of sorrow or wonder. As he read “Nessa” he could shape the word “whirlpool” with mesmeric, calligraphic beauty that made you feel that pull as real and present in the moment. It was the truest art of language: the soul made knowable in the air between us. That was the wonder of his work and hearing him speak it was truly to feel the presence of the vital source. He will be greatly missed.

“But then, at the end of the day
I could always say
Well now, I am going home”

May he rest in peace.

Sincere sympathy at the time of Paul's death to all his family. You are all in our thoughts.
Treasured memories of Paul over the years, Turlough, Achill, Charleville, Bridgemount, Craggagh, Manulla - a Mayo man through and through.
From the top of Drunganagh hill where you proudly remembered your ancestors to the hall in Craggagh National School where you cried in appreciation of the marvellous children's dramatisation of ''Golden Mothers Driving West", and the world in between.
Adieu pal, to a kind genius, with all your many sides.
Until we ship oars together in Aughawall.
A story with a middle only.
Sweet dreams Paul.

Jackie Durcan, Noel Rowland and your 5 amigos, Maud, Oscar, Beau, Florence and Jude. xxxxxxx

Dear Siabhra: Dire que nous avons découvert notre lien avec Paul à travers le français ! What an impish delight your father could be. What infectious energy. Sending comfort and affection to you and the entire Durcan family. xxAnne Roper

We were very sad to hear of the death of Paul. Our deepest sympathy to all of his family. Paul was a great friend to our family, especially my late dad Michael and late brother Patrick Carr. My brother Patrick had the privilege of designing Paul`s beautiful home in Dugort, Achill that Paul so dearly loved. Treasured memories. Rest in Peace Paul.

Rest in peace Paul, always proud when you came on TV or heard you were doing a recital in Westport. The way you greeted me in Dunlaoighre when you heard i was Don's daughter. Deepest sympathy to all your family, they have lost a true genius, your legacy will on. RIP 🙏

Dear Sarah, I’m very sorry for your loss. My deepest condolences to you and the family.
Joyce

When I interviewed Paul in 2012 we discussed his frequent use of the term 'innocence' in his writing, with the conversation turning to Tom Waits. Paul said "If one deserved to have an epitaph - which one surely usually does not - I would have on my headstone those lines: 'It's memories that I'm stealing / But you're innocent when you dream, when you dream.'"

Like so many, I will cherish the time I got to spend with Paul through the years. The poet will rest in Mayo, his poems will live on the lips of generations to come. May Heaven be his bed.

We remember you, perched on the wall, at the end of the Avenue, face to the sun, eyes to the sea.

Rest in Peace

To Sarah, Siabhra, and all Paul's family - my deepest condolences. Paul was a dear friend, the finest of poets, a truly generous, kind and caring human being. Peace to his soul, gratitude for every word he has given us. You are in my thoughts.

Sincere sympathy to all the
Durcan family on the death of Paul,
Fond memories of Paul, when he was
a guest at my B&B a few years ago
A true gentleman, May his soul rest
Peace.

Deepest sympathy to the Durcan family on Paul's death. May he Rest in Peace.

A terrible loss to all family and friends etc and for Irish poetry. May he rest in peace ,

Condolences to all of the Durcan family on the death of Paul. You are in my thoughts and prayers at this sad time. Are dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilis.

Deepest sympathy to the Durcan family on Paul’s sad passing.He was definitely a National Treasure and his poetry will enrich people’s lives for many a year.Glad I saved his missives, which on rereading always bring me laughter and joy.May his gentle soul rest in peace.