Spotlight on Theo Dorgan

Born in Cork in 1953, Theo Dorgan has carved out a career in the arts and media that has generated much acclaim for his work as a travel writer, poet, translator, radio and tv presenter on RTE and BBC, and film director.

He obtained an MA in English from UCC, and lectured with the University’s English Department. He was director of Poetry Ireland(1989-2000), a member of Aosdana since 1999, and served with the Arts Council for five years.

During a distinguished media career he presented Poetry Nowand Imprint, Hidden Treasuresand Irish Poetry Since Kavanagh on RTE radio and television.  He also fronted The Invisible Threadfor Lyric FM.

Dorgan has served on the boards of several arts centres and in 2001 authored the Dorgan Report for the Department of Arts, Culture and the Islands.

His published works include Time On The Oceanand Sailing For Home, two books detailing his sea voyages from South American to South Africa, and across the Atlantic. He published several poetry collections, including The Ordinary House of Love(for Salmon Publishing, 1991), Days Like These(with Paula Meehan and Tony Curtis for Brooding Heron Press in the USA, 2008) and Greekfor Dedalus Press, 2010.

A suite of poems written by Dorgan forms part of Riverdance, and his poems have been translated into several languages, including German, Greek, Hungarian, Russian, and Japanese. In 2010 he was received the O’Shaughnessy Award for Irish Poetry in the USA.