Collected Poems: Patrick Kavanagh

The centenary of Patrick Kavanagh`s birth in 2004 provides the ideal opportunity to reappraise one of modern Ireland`s greatest poets. From a harsh, humble background that he himself described so brilliantly, Kavanagh burst through immense constraints to redefine Irish poetry - a poetry appropriate for a fully independent country, both politically and culturally. Moving beyond Irish verse`s preoccupation with history, national politics and identity, he turned to the land and scenery of his native Inniskeen, portraying the closely-observed minutiae of everyday rural and urban life in an uninhibited, groundbreaking style. Lucid, various, direct and engaging, Kavanagh`s poems have a unique place in the canon and a unique accessibility.

This major new edition is the culmination of many years of work by Antoinette Quinn in creating authoritative texts for Kavanagh`s poetry - from his early works such as `Inniskeen Road: July Evening` to his masterpiece, the epic `The Great Hunger`, allowing us to see the development of Kavanagh`s genius as never before.