The Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas announced Mark Roper as the 31st recipient of the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award for Poetry. Roper's award will be celebrated at a reading during the Dublin Book Festival on Nov. 5, which is presented in partnership with Poetry Ireland.
Born in Derbyshire, England, in 1951, Roper moved to Ireland in 1980 and has since become known for poetry deeply attentive to the natural world. His body of work spans more than three decades and includes numerous poetry collections, collaborations and creative projects. Dedalus Press describes him as “one of the most admired nature poets of his generation.”
The works recognized as part of Roper’s Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award are:
- "Even So: New & Selected Poems" (Dedalus Press, 2008), a collection bringing together new work and selections from Roper’s earlier poetry.
- "A Gather of Shadow" (Dedalus Press, 2012), a collection exploring the natural world alongside themes of grief and the loss of Roper’s mother. The collection was shortlisted for the Poetry Now Award and later won the Michael Hartnett Award in 2014.
- "Beyond Stillness" (Dedalus Press, 2022), which explores humanity’s relationship with the natural world through poems balancing wonder, grief, memory and mortality.
Roper’s other collections include "The Hen Ark," "Catching the Light," "The Home Fire," "Whereabouts" and "Bindweed." "The Hen Ark" received the 1992 Aldeburgh Prize for best first collection, while "Bindweed" was shortlisted for the 2018 Irish Times Poetry Now Award.
Beyond poetry, Roper has collaborated extensively with artists across disciplines. His work with photographer Paddy Dwan has resulted in several books exploring Ireland’s landscapes, including "The River Book: A Celebration of the Suir," "The Backstrand: Tramore’s Open Secret," "Comeragh: Mountain, Coum, River, Rumour" and "Sea and Stone: The County Waterford Coastline." He has also worked on operas, visual arts projects and creative writing programs and served as editor of Poetry Ireland Review in 1999.
A highly experienced creative writing teacher, Roper has led workshops in schools, prisons and senior citizen centers and previously served as writer-in-residence at Waterford Regional Hospital. He received Arts Council Literature Bursaries in 2010, 2013 and 2016.
Established in 1997, the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award for Poetry honors outstanding Irish poets for both their literary achievements and their contributions to the writing community in Ireland. Award recipients are invited to the University of St. Thomas to engage with students, visit classes and participate in public events, culminating in a free public reading on campus.
