The poet Brendan Kennelly has died at the age of 85.
Mr Kennelly, who was one of the Ireland's most acclaimed poets and who was a former professor of modern English at Trinity College Dublin, died this evening at Aras Mhuire nursing home in Listowel.
Brendan Kennelly was born in Ballylongford on April 17th, 1936 and studied at Trinity College where he wrote his PhD thesis.
He published more than 30 collections of poetry, was a popular broadcaster, and was also a talented Gaelic footballer.
One of Brendan Kennelly's most popular poems, 'Begin', found a new audience when it was widely shared online at the start of the pandemic last year on websites such as those of Poetry Ireland.
President Higgins praised Mr Kennelly for his "special charm, wit, energy and passion", and said, "As a poet, Brendan Kennelly had forged a special place in the affections of the Irish people".
The poet Máire Mhac an tSaoi's death was also announced today. One of the most important Irish language poets of the 20th century, she died yesterday at the age of 99. Her father Seán MacEntee was a founding member of Fianna Fáil, a TD and Tánaiste.
According to the poet Louis De Paor, Máire Mhac an tSaoi was deeply influenced by visits to her uncle, Monsignor Pádraig De Brún, who lived in Dún Chaoin. He was a poet, mathematician and classical scholar.
Máire Mhac an tSaoi the first woman to be called to the bar in Ireland and the first to make it into the Department of External Affairs through public competition.
President Higgins said "she made a profound and distinctive contribution to our society in terms of literature, diplomacy and above all poetry."
Máire Mhac an tSaoi was the widow of historian, diplomat, politician and writer Conor Cruise O'Brien.
