The President Michael D Higgins has led tributes to the poet Eavan Boland who has died at the age of 75.
Ms Boland died at her home in Dublin today after suffering a stroke.
In a statement, President Higgins said Ireland had lost “not only an internationally acclaimed poet, distinguished academic and author, but one of the most insightful inner sources of Irish life, not only in life as expressed but as sensed and experienced.”
“It was her particular gift to reveal the beauty in the ordinary,” he said.
“Over the years, through her poetry, critical work and teaching she displayed an extraordinary ability to invoke Irish landscapes, myth and everyday experience.
“She became one of the pre-eminent voices in Irish literature, noted for the high standard she sought and achieved.”
He said she will be missed by “all who have read her work and by students who have had the privilege of learning from her in any one of the academic institutions to which she made such a distinguished contribution.”
“To all of us who had the privilege of knowing her, her passing is a source of great loss and sadness,” he said.
“To her husband Kevin, their daughters and the members of her extended family, her colleagues in poetry and her wide circle of friends, Sabina and I send our deepest condolences.”
We are shocked to hear of the death of Hon. MRIA Eavan Boland and our thoughts are with her family RIP. She was a pleasure to work with and is pictured below at the UN reading her poem about women's suffrage 'Our future will become the past of other women' https://t.co/n82CTzS44S pic.twitter.com/pruPMtRZMR
— Royal Irish Academy (@RIAdawson) April 27, 2020
Ms Boland was born in Dublin in 1944 and was writer in residence at Trinity and UCD. She also lectured at Stanford College.
She published ten volumes of poetry throughout her career, beginning with New Territory in 1967 and released two books of prose in later life.
Poetry Ireland said her death marks a “staggering loss to the Irish poetry community.”
“Wishing peace & comfort to all who loved her, and whose lives have been changed by her work,” it said.
