Madam, - The undersigned members of Aosdána are shocked that Poetry Ireland/Éigse Éireann will soon be without premises. What is to become of a homeless Poetry Ireland? We urge the Minister to take steps immediately to rectify this retrograde development.
In one of his essays, Macaulay remarked: "As civilisation advances, poetry almost necessarily declines." Is this what we believe? - Yours, etc.,
ROBERT BALLAGH, LOUIS LE BROCQUY, CIARAN CARSON, MICHAEL COADY, FRANK CORCORAN, TONY CURTIS, RAYMOND DEANE, PAUL DURCAN, SEAMUS HEANEY, MICHAEL HOLOHAN, NEIL JORDAN, JOHN KINSELLA, ANNE MADDEN, BRIAN MAGUIRE, MEDBH McGUCKIAN, PAUL MULDOON, RICHARD MURPHY, NUALA NÍ DHOMHNAILL, EILÉAN NÍ CHUILLEANÁIN, JULIE O'CALLAGHAN, CATHAL Ó SEARCAIGH, GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK, Dr ERIC SWEENEY, MACDARA WOODS.