A COMBINATION of hostile neighbours, prudish councillors and the political morass has finally driven one of Northern Ireland's leading poets to decide to move to Co Donegal.
James Simmons is to sell his noted "Poets House" educational centre at Islandmagee on the Antrim coast and move the poetry and creative writing courses which he conducts there to Falcarragh in north Donegal.
In six years at Islandmagee, his efforts to develop an educational centre and a focus for poetic endeavour have been dogged by controversy, with some residents engaging him in a long running planning dispute.
The row reached near farcical levels at a planning committee meeting of Larne councillors earlier this year. As a planning application by Mr Simmons was being discussed, a DUP councillor produced a copy of the poet's latest published work, Mainstream, from a brown paper bag and alleged that it contained "filth".
During a heated debate, a UUP councillor, Mr Roy Beggs MP, former chairman of the North Eastern Education and Library Board proposed that the board be asked to ban the book from school.
Although some councillors said it would be a great loss for the area if a seat of learning such as the Poets' House was disallowed the Larne committee voted by a majority to refuse the applications for a change of use of the premises from residential to charitable, educational and business.
Mr Simmons conducts approved MA courses in creative writing for Lancaster University at the centre in Islandmagee. Four students currently enrolled on this year's course will now move with, him to Falcarragh.
The poet said the decision to leave Islandmagee was a combination of the planning row and the numerous cancellations for their summer poetry courses because of the events at Drumcree.
The MA course will in future be run from Ballyconnell House near Falcarragh. Mr Simmons said an invitation to move there had been extended by the Donegal poet, Cathal O Searcaigh, who had promised a more welcoming reception.