Anthony Cronin, Irish poet, Died at 88

  Writer

Anthony Cronin was born on December 23, 1928, in Enniscorthy, County Wexford and died on December 28, 2016.

He was an Irish poet, novelist, biographer, critic, commentator and arts activist.

Working with writers Flann O’Brien, Patrick Kavanagh and Con Leventhal, Cronin celebrated the first Bloomsday in 1954.

He has contributed to many television programs, including Flann O’Brien: Man of Parts (BBC) and Folio (RTE).

He was Visiting Lecturer at the University of Montana and Poet In Residence at Drake University, from 1966-1970

He has Honorary Doctorates from several institutions such as Dublin University, Trinity College, the National University of Ireland and the University of Poznan.

He was an arts activist and Adviser on Arts and Culture to Taoiseach Charles Haughey (and briefly to Garret FitzGerald) Cronin was the originator of important artistic initiatives established during Cronin’s tenure such as Aosdána, the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Heritage Council (Ireland).

He has written landmark biographies of two significant Irish literary figures, Flann O’Brien in “No Laughing Matter” and Samuel Beckett in “The Last Modernist”.

He lived in Dublin with his wife, fellow author Anne Haverty and contributes to the Sunday Independent.

Anthony Cronin passed away at 88 years old.