leaving cert notes-DURCAN
Paul Durcan [1944]
Relevant Background
Paul Durcan was born in Dublin in 1944.
His father followed a legal career and worked as a judge in the circuit court during Durcan’s childhood.
Paul Durcan began his education in Dublin, going on to study at University College Dublin but he completed his B.A. in University College Cork.
He won an Irish poetry award in 1974, the Patrick Kavanagh Award. He won the Whitbread Prize for Poetry in 1990 for 'Daddy, Daddy'. This is a major international reward.
In a lot of his poetry he mocks aspects of Ireland that he doesn’t like. In this poem, he glorifies the countryside and shows hatred for Dublin.
The car journey described here would have been unusual in 1949. Few Irish people had cars then.
Paul Durcan’s relationship with his father was often distant, a factor that troubled Durcan. This fact comes to the fore in this poem.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
(PLANNED ESSAYS-PG223)
'Paul Durcan's poetry dare to explore the hidden areas of life in a confidential yet authorised manner' Discuss this view,supporting your response with suitable reference to the poems by Durcan on your course.
HIDDEN CONFIDENTIAL AUTHORISED
covering classified certified
unknow private accredited
undisclosed intimate legitimate
dark lisenced
buried
openning
In Paul Durcans poetry, he uncovers the parts of life in a private but certified way that makes him unique. Many of his poems are personal and intimate yet, contain dark humour through out. In his poerty he commonly discusses the dark areas of marriage and relationships at breaking point, such as in his poems 'Nessa','Fathers day' and 'Sport' He simialarly does this with past memories that he vividly remembers, seen in 'The Macbride Dynasty'. Durcan is...