Patrick Deeley

Who is Patrick Deeley?

Patrick Deeley is an Irish poet and children's writer, born in Loughrea, County Galway and now living in Dublin. His poems have been published in many journals and anthologies since the late 1970s, and featured on radio and TV. Six full collections have appeared from Dedalus Press, as well as books in translation to Italian and French. He is the recipient of a number of bursaries and poetry prizes including the inaugural Dermot Healy International Poetry Award 2014. He has conducted workshops for writers' groups and read at literary festivals throughout Ireland and in the UK. His highly regarded poetry course illustrating ways into poetry and poem-making for and by children - Poetry In The Classroom - received sanction from the Department of Education. He worked as a member of the Council of Poetry Ireland from 1984 to 1989. In 2012 he took early retirement from the principalship of a primary school in Ballyfermot in order to devote more time to writing.