The Coleraine Cluster of poets and writers (a name coined later) was an informal collection of writers associated with the New University of Ulster in the early 1970s.
Origins edit
The New University of Ulster had been established near the town of Coleraine about 60 miles from Belfast in 1968. It attracted the English scholars Walter Allen (several novels and critical works)[1] and Alan Warner (several critical works)[2] who were appointed Professors of English Literature. They were joined by the poets James Simmons (editor of The Honest Ulsterman), Andrew Waterman, Bill McCormack and other writers such as Bridget O'Toole and the Russian scholar Michael Pursglove.
This grouping drew several mature students from Belfast who had delayed their entry to university for various reasons. This included Gerald Dawe, Brian Keenan, Brendan Hamill, Anne Devlin, and Aodán Mac Póilin, the Irish language activist. To this group was added Michael Stephens (the nephew of James Simmons) and, for a short period, Robert Johnstone.
All of these staff and students would go on to careers in writing.
Activities edit
This cluster initiated a lively literary scene including regular poetry nights in local bars[3] and more formal readings by such poets as Seamus Heaney and Derek Mahon. During this period, they also began to produce a range of publications including volumes of poetry. The cluster dissolved as the students graduated although its members continued to publish.
Various magazines were associated with members of the cluster. Acorn, the magazine of the English Society at Magee University College in Derry, was transferred to Coleraine in 1972 and then evolved into other magazines such as Quarto. During its lifetime Acorn published material by Walter Allen, Alan Warner, and Bill McCormack. Quarto published work by Stephens. Caret was edited by Johnstone and others and published work by Simmons. The more established The Honest Ulsterman also published poetry by Simmons, Waterman, Dawe, Stephens, and Keenan about this time.
Publications edit
During this period, staff associated with the cluster published several volumes of poetry. Simmons published three volumes, (Energy to Burn 1971; The Long Summer Still to Come, 1973 and West Strand Visions, 1974).[4] Waterman published Living Room.[5] McCormack (writing as Hugh Maxton) published The Noise of the Field.[6] Pursglove published translations of the work of Andrei Platonov.[7]
Among the students, Dawe published the collection Sheltering Places in 1978 and other work subsequently.[8] He then went on to establish and co-edit with Aodán Mac Póilin the literary journal Krino. They also co-edited a selection of the work of Padraic Fiacc.[9] Johnstone went on to co-establish Caret, a poetry magazine, and to co-edit several issues of The Honest Ulsterman and Fortnight (magazine).[10] Stephens guest edited an issue of The Honest Ulsterman in 1969 and had a poetry pamphlet published by it.[11] Hamill published poems and reviews in several journals and had a poetry pamphlet published by Lagan Press which had been established by Dawe.[12]
In the following decade all of these writers went on to greater success.[13] Although not as formalised as the Belfast Group[14] the people associated with the cluster supported each other during the early years of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
References edit
- ^ Allen, Walter (1955). The English Novel. London: Dutton. ISBN 0525098461.
- ^ Warner, Alan (1964). A Short Guide to English Style. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 198.
- ^ "West Strand Visions: A review". Quarto (1): 5–11. 1973.
- ^ Simmons, James (1986). Poems 1956-1986. Dublin: Gallery Press. p. 202. ISBN 1852240202.
- ^ Waterman, Andrew (1974). Living Room. Marvell Press. p. 64. ISBN 0900533080.
- ^ Maxton, Hugh (1976). The Noise of the Field. Dublin: Dolmen. ISBN 0851052940.
- ^ Platonov, Andrey; Pursglove, Michael (1975). "Takyr". The Honest Ulsterman (50).
- ^ Dawe, Gerald (1978). Sheltering Places. Dublin: Dolmen. p. 56. ISBN 0955946808.
- ^ Dawe, Gerald; MacPoilin, Aodan (1996). Padraic Fiacc: Ruined Pages. Belfast: Blackstaff.
- ^ "Robert Johnstone". Ricorso. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Stephens, Michael (1969). Blues for Chocolate Doherty. Belfast: The Honest Ulsterman.
- ^ Hamill, Brendan (1976). Emigrant Brother. Belfast: Lagan Press.
- ^ Dawe, Gerald (2023). Another Time: Poems 1978-2023. Dublin: Gallery. p. 176. ISBN 1911338552.
- ^ Dawe, Gerald (1994). "Postscript: After the event". The Honest Ulsterman (97): 24–26.