Michael Coady

Michael Coady (1939 – 25 March 2024) was an Irish poet, writer, historian, photographer, genealogist, and journalist. Born in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Michael spent his life rooted in his hometown, where he made his mark as a teacher, musician, and writer. Renowned for celebrating his community, Coady won the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 1979 for his debut poetry collection. Arts Council bursaries have taken him to the USA and Newfoundland, and he held a residency at the Irish Cultural Centre in Paris. His work is lauded for its compassionate portrayal of place and people, blending literary language with the everyday speech of his community.

Educated at University College Galway and University College Cork, Coady had a rich career that included serving as the Heimbold Professor of Irish Studies at Villanova University in the U.S. His works, which celebrate the intimate life of his hometown, Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, have been widely recognized and included in numerous anthologies.

Coady received several awards, including the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award (1979) and the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award (2004). He was a member of Aosdána, and his travels, funded by Arts Council bursaries, took him to the U.S., Newfoundland, and the Irish Cultural Centre in Paris.

His notable publications include:

Poetry:
- Two for a Woman, Three for a Man (1980)
- Oven Lane (1987)
- All Souls (1997)
- One Another (2003)
- Going by Water (2009)
Non-Fiction:
- The Well of Spring Water (1996)
Essays:
- Full Tide – A Miscellany (1999)

Michael’s work is praised for its compassionate portrayal of local life, blending literary language with the vernacular of his community. He passed away on 25 March 2024 at the age of 84.

The Sean Healy park includes the “Telling History in Stone” installation, sculpted by local artist Tony O’Malley in 2004 with inscriptions are based on the poetic work ‘All Souls’ by Michael Coady. Each standing stone in the installation represents the lived and living story of Carrick-on-Suir, celebrating the town’s local life, culture, music, and sports.