BBC radio star & acclaimed poet dies aged 85 as touching tributes pour in
A BBC radio star and acclaimed poet has died aged 85 as touching tributes pour in.
Michael Longley was born in Belfast in Northern Ireland in 1939.
He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution before studying at Trinity College Dublin.
One of his most famous poems include Ceasefire which he wrote in 1994.
Fellow poet, Ian Duhig shared a touching tribute via Facebook.
He said: "Very sorry to hear that Michael Longley died yesterday.
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"I met him a long time ago on an Arvon course he taught with Paul Muldoon and I always say Paul supplied the genius and Michael the magic.
"For a classicist like him, I can think of saying ave atque vale till better words come to me."
Another fellow poet, Gerry Cambridge said: "A sad loss to UK poetry, & a genuinely magnificent writer in his best—& it is abundant—work."
Longley, who holds an honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast received their "heartfelt condolences".
In a statement the university wrote: "It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the passing of one of Ireland's great poets and Honorary graduate Michael Longley CBE.
"We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, in particular his wife, Professor Emerita Edna Longley, a distinguished lecturer and poetry critic at Queen's."
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