Michael Longley

Michael Longley (1939–2025) was a renowned Northern Irish poet known for his compact, meditative lyrics inspired by nature and classical themes, including notable works such as \"Ceasefire,\" Gorse Fires, The Weather in Japan, and The Stairwell. He received major awards including the Whitbread Poetry Prize, T. S. Eliot Prize, Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry, International Griffin Poetry Prize, and PEN Pinter Prize, and was appointed CBE in 2010. Born in Belfast to English parents, he studied Classics at Trinity College Dublin and was part of the influential Belfast Group.