Gerry Murphy at 70: Cork poet looks back on his milestones  

One of the highlights of Cork International Poetry Festival should be the event to mark the 70th birthday of the city's much-loved poet 

Gerry Murphy marks his 70th birthday as part of Cork International Poetry Festival. 

The Teacher Who Inspired me:

George O'Sullivan, who taught me in the North Mon, loved English poetry and it rubbed off on some of us. In collaboration with two classmates, we used to write adaptations of the poems on the curriculum to the amusement of the class and Mr O'Sullivan. He kind of turned us on to what was on the syllabus. I'm still reading essays by William Hazlitt. But I was lazy at school. My Leaving Cert wasn't exactly starry. I just managed to get through.