Renowned poet and writer Gabriel Rosenstock dies aged 76

Kenneth Fox

Renowned poet, writer, and translator Gabriel Rosenstock has died at the age of 76 following a short illness.

Born in Kilfinane, Co Limerick in 1949, Rosenstock wrote primarily in Irish.

His works included children’s literature in prose and verse, plays, novels, essays, and short stories.

He won numerous awards and was a member of Aosdána, the Irish academy of arts and letters. He was an honorary member of the European Haiku Society and was also a former chairman of Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann.

A statement issued by his family said: “He believed in the power of poetry and in its ability to build bridges between different cultures. He was a prolific and restless soul who published over 400 books.

“He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and who read him.”

President Catherine Connolly paid tribute to the writer who, across an extraordinary career, made a particularly special contribution to the Irish language, leaving not only a broad body of his own work, but also a remarkably diverse set of translations, through which he brought so many of the great writers of the world to the Irish language.

“His writing has been enjoyed, and will continue to be enjoyed, by people of all ages, while his translations will continue to ensure an engagement between our language and so many of the other cultures of the world.

“He will be deeply missed,” Connolly said.