Scholars see red over poet tribute

IT IS the kind of controversy that the mischievous devil in Patrick Kavanagh would have relished: the dead poet, the very much alive beauty and the perplexed academics — all locked in a battle for the hearts and minds of literate Ireland.

The dead poet is Kavanagh himself. The beauty none other than Miss World Rosanna Davison and the academics are those aficionados of the poet who fear that her involvement in Kavanagh’s centenary celebrations are not quite kosher.

They feel that the honour to mark the birth of one of Ireland’s greatest poets should go to fellow legends like Seamus Heaney or Paul Durkan.

That is not to be. On May 24 next, 18 bronze plaques featuring some of Kavanagh’s writings will be unveiled by Ms Davison in the centre of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.

That has raised hackles in certain quarters, not least in Kavanagh’s birthplace, Inniskean, which is organising its own celebrations.

But that is not something that bothers Vincent P Martin, local councillor and one of the organisers of the event. He sees no dichotomy between brains and beauty and figures Rosanna has plenty of both.

“Rosanna was our first choice, though not a predictable one,” he said on Morning Ireland yesterday. “She is a fan of Patrick Kavanagh and admires his writings. We hope that her presence will help to introduce Kavanagh to a younger audience. After all, two and a half billion people watched her win Miss World on television.

“There is no disrespect to literary legends like Heaney or Durkin and they are welcome to come along,” says Mr Martin, who believes that Kavanagh himself would have been delighted as he had “an eye for the women”.

“Poetry is not the sole preserve of the world of academia. After all Kavanagh was the people’s poet and his poetry was very accessible. In his acclaimed work ‘The Green Fool’ he said: ‘Greater than my desire to meet the exalted beings of literature was the road hunger in my heart that cried out for dusty romance’.”

That desire for “dusty romance” should be evident on May 24 in Carrickmacross.

“Rosanna is not charging any fee for this and she is staying around for a charity ball in aid of cancer awareness. We’ll have a good hooley on the day.”

If Kavanagh were around, the bets are he would be first to ask her to dance.