Seán Hewitt Explained
Seán Hewitt FRSL (born 1990) is a poet, lecturer and literary critic.[1] In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.[2]
Biography
Seán Hewitt was born in Warrington, UK, to an Irish mother and English father.[3] He studied English at Girton College, Cambridge.[4] [5]
Hewitt received his PhD, on the works of J. M. Synge, from the Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool.[6] He lives in Dublin, where he lectures at Trinity College Dublin.[7]
Hewitt was awarded an Eric Gregory Award in 2019, and won the world's biggest ecopoetry award, the Resurgence Prize, in 2017.[8] [9] He also received a Northern Writers' Award in 2016.[10] Hewitt was listed as one of The Sunday Times "30 under 30" artists in Ireland in 2020.[11] His debut collection of poems, Tongues of Fire, won The Laurel Prize in 2021. He was awarded the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 2022.[12]
Works
Hewitt's debut collection, Tongues of Fire, was published by Jonathan Cape in 2020.[13] [14]
Tongues of Fire was released to critical acclaim.[15] It won The Laurel Prize in 2021,[16] and was shortlisted for The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, 2020, the John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize, 2021, and the Dalkey Literary Award (Emerging Writer), 2021.[17] [18] [19] It was Poetry Book of the Month in The Observer,[20] and a Book of the Year in The Guardian,[21] The Irish Times,[22] The Spectator,[23] Attitude,[24] and the Irish Independent,[25] and was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. The Sunday Times wrote of Hewitt that "his poetry will stand the test of time".[26] Booker Prize shortlisted novelist Max Porter describes Hewitt as "an exquisitely calm and insightful lyric poet, reverential in nature and gorgeously wise in the field of human drama."[27] Tongues of Fire is a book of lyric poetry, and explores queer sexuality, grief, and the natural world.[28] [29] [30]
Hewitt's book-length study of the Irish playwright, poet and travel writer J. M. Synge, J.M. Synge: Nature, Politics, Modernism, is published by Oxford University Press.[31]
Hewitt's memoir, All Down Darkness Wide, was published in 2022.[32]
Awards
- Winner of The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, 2022.
- Winner of The Laurel Prize, 2021.
- Shortlisted for John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize, for Tongues of Fire, 2021.
- Shortlisted for the Dalkey Literary Award (Emerging Writer), 2021.
- Shortlisted for The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, for Tongues of Fire, 2020.[33]
- Poetry Book Society Recommendation, for Tongues of Fire, 2020.[34]
- Eric Gregory Award, Society of Authors, 2019.
- Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice, for Lantern, 2019.[35]
- Maurice J. Bric Medal of Excellence, Irish Research Council, 2019.[36]
- The Resurgence Prize, Poetry School, 2017.[37] [38]
- Northern Writers' Award, New Writing North, 2016.
Bibliography
- Rapture's Road (Jonathan Cape, 2024)
- 300,000 Kisses: Tales of Queer Love from the Ancient World, with Luke Edward Hall (Penguin, 2023)
- All Down Darkness Wide (Jonathan Cape (UK) and Penguin Press (USA), 2022)
- Buile Suibhne / Seán Hewitt, wood engravings by Amy Jeffs (Rochdale, England: Fine Press Poetry, 2021)
- J.M. Synge: Nature, Politics, Modernism (Oxford University Press, 2021)
- Tongues of Fire (Jonathan Cape, 2020)
- Lantern (Offord Road Books, 2019)
Notes and References
- Web site: Seán Hewitt. 2020-08-31. www.penguin.co.uk.
- News: Royal Society of Literature aims to broaden representation as it announces 62 new fellows. Ella. Creamer. The Guardian. 12 July 2023. 21 July 2023. 24 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231124195048/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/12/royal-society-of-literature-aims-to-broaden-representation-as-it-announces-62-new-fellows. live.
- Web site: RTÉ Radio Player. 2020-09-02. www.rte.ie. 26 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190526100301/https://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#/radio1/21562576. live.
- Web site: I poeti irlandesi Seán Hewitt e James Conor Patterson vincono gli Eric Gregory Awards. 2020-09-03. Les Enfants Terribles. it-IT. 9 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200909010207/https://www.lesenfantsterribles.org/notturno-libri/i-poeti-irlandesi-sean-hewitt-e-james-conor-patterson-vincono-gli-eric-gregory-awards/. live.
- Web site: The Year 2012. 2020-09-03. Issuu. 7 January 2013. en. 20 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220920172136/https://issuu.com/girtoncollege/docs/girton_the_year_2012_web. live.
- Web site: Irish Studies student wins major poetry prize - Articles - Institute of Irish Studies - University of Liverpool. 2020-09-01. www.liverpool.ac.uk. 31 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201031134024/https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/irish-studies/news/articles/irish-studies-student-wins-major-poetry-prize/. live.
- Web site: Dr Seán Hewitt. 2020-09-16. Trinity College Dublin.
- News: Doyle . Martin . Irish poets Seán Hewitt and James Conor Patterson win Eric Gregory Awards . 17 June 2019 . 2020-08-31 . The Irish Times . en . 4 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210304101251/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/irish-poets-se%C3%A1n-hewitt-and-james-conor-patterson-win-eric-gregory-awards-1.3925716 . live .
- Web site: News The Society of Authors . 2020-09-01 . societyofauthors.org . 14 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200814090929/https://societyofauthors.org/News/News/2019/June-2019/Awards-winners-announcement-2019 . live .
- Web site: 2016-07-01 . Announcing the winners of the Northern Writers' Awards 2016 . 2020-09-01 . Northern Writers Awards . en . 12 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200812002758/http://northernwritersawards.com/news/announcing-the-winners-of-the-northern-writers-awards-2016/ . live .
- News: Barter . Pavel . 30 under 30: Ireland's most promising artists . en . . 3 May 2020 . 2020-08-31 . 0140-0460 . 17 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200817190532/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/30-under-30-irelands-most-promising-artists-hlpjt8fz8 . live .
- News: Seán Hewitt awarded 2022 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. Martin. Doyle. 27 October 2022. 2022-10-28. The Irish Times. en. 28 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221028143043/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2022/10/27/sean-hewitt-awarded-2022-rooney-prize-for-irish-literature/. live.
- Web site: Seán Hewitt. 2020-09-01. www.penguin.co.uk. 23 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200923042544/https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/1085348/sean-hewitt.html. live.
- Web site: The Nan Shepherd Prize – Interview with Seán Hewitt. 2020-09-01. nanshepherdprize.com.
- Web site: RTÉ Radio Player. 2020-09-02. www.rte.ie. 26 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190526100301/https://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#/radio1/21759967. live.
- Web site: The Laurel Prize 2021 – Winners! » Simon Armitage The Official Website. 2021-10-09. en-US. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009132459/https://www.simonarmitage.com/the-laurel-prize-2021-winners/. live.
- Web site: team. Code8. Seán Hewitt. 2020-11-01. Young Writer of the Year Award. en-GB.
- News: Doyle. Martin. Irish writers longlisted for Desmond Elliott Prize and RSL Ondaatje Prize. 15 April 2021. 2021-04-20. The Irish Times. en. 15 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210415144804/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/irish-writers-longlisted-for-desmond-elliott-prize-and-rsl-ondaatje-prize-1.4538421. live.
- Web site: Emerging Writer Award Shortlist 2021. 2021-04-20. www.zurich.ie. en. 23 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210423100208/https://www.zurich.ie/dalkey-literary-awards/2021/emerging-writer/shortlist/. live.
- News: 2020-05-12. Poetry book of the month: Tongues of Fire by Seán Hewitt – review. 2020-09-01. The Observer. Kate. Kellaway. en.
- Web site: 2020-11-28. Best poetry books of 2020. 2020-11-28. The Guardian. en.
- News: Doyle. Martin. Books of 2020: Max Porter, Emilie Pine, Sara Baume and more pick the best reads of the year so far. 2020-09-01. The Irish Times. en. 15 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210115162327/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/books-of-2020-max-porter-emilie-pine-sara-baume-and-more-pick-the-best-reads-of-the-year-so-far-1.4279348. live.
- Web site: Books of the Year II — chosen by our regular reviewers | the Spectator. 2020-11-12. www.spectator.co.uk. 12 November 2020. 13 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201113063611/https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/books-of-the-year-ii-chosen-by-our-regular-reviewers. live.
- Web site: 2020-12-31. The 20 best LGBTQ books of 2020. 2021-01-03. Attitude.co.uk. en. 4 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210104114536/https://attitude.co.uk/article/20-best-lgbtq-books-of-2020-1/24245/. live.
- Web site: The best books of 2020. 6 December 2020. 2020-12-06. independent. en. 6 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201206053450/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/the-best-books-of-2020-39829402.html. live.
- News: Wright. Bert. Tongues of Fire by Seán Hewitt review. The Times. en. 31 May 2020. 2020-09-01. 0140-0460.
- News: Doyle. Martin. Books of 2020: Max Porter, Emilie Pine, Sara Baume and more pick the best reads of the year so far. 2020-09-01. The Irish Times. en. 15 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210115162327/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/books-of-2020-max-porter-emilie-pine-sara-baume-and-more-pick-the-best-reads-of-the-year-so-far-1.4279348. live.
- News: Hewitt. Seán. Seán Hewitt: I would give all my poems to have my father back. 2020-09-01. The Irish Times. en. 1 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201101120814/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/se%C3%A1n-hewitt-i-would-give-all-my-poems-to-have-my-father-back-1.4218852. live.
- Boland. Eavan. 2019. Featured Poet: Seán Hewitt. Poetry Ireland Review. 127. 66. Complementary Index. 4 September 2020. 22 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200922120814/https://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/back-issues/poetry-ireland-review-127. live.
- 2020-04-10. RTÉ Poetry Programme: John F. Deane and Seán Hewitt. en. 4 September 2020. 17 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201117052543/https://www.rte.ie/culture/2020/0409/1129568-poetry-programme-preview-john-f-deane-and-sean-hewitt/. live.
- Book: Hewitt, Seán. J.M. Synge: Nature, Politics, Modernism. 2021-01-07. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-886209-3. Oxford, New York. 4 September 2020. 25 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210625021842/https://global.oup.com/academic/product/jm-synge-9780198862093?cc=ie&lang=en&. live.
- Web site: Cape snaps up 'exquisite' memoir from Hewitt The Bookseller. 2020-11-03. www.thebookseller.com.
- News: Times. The Sunday. The Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year award 2020: shortlist announced. The Times. en. 2020-11-01. 0140-0460. 1 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201101092912/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-sunday-times-university-of-warwick-young-writer-of-the-year-award-2020-shortlist-announced-x6sbbx3vj. live.
- Web site: Summer 2020 Selections. 2020-08-31. The Poetry Book Society. en. 21 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200921181414/https://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/collections/summer-2020-selections. live.
- Web site: Summer 2019 Selections. 2020-09-01. The Poetry Book Society. en. 21 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200621083105/https://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/collections/summer-2019-selections. live.
- Web site: Irish Research Council announces 2019 'Researchers of the Year'. 2020-09-01. Irish Research Council. en. 30 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200930204713/http://research.ie/2019/12/05/irish-research-council-announce-2019-researchers-of-the-year/. live.
- Web site: First Prize: Ilex by Seán Hewitt Resurgence Poetry Prize. 2020-08-31. en-US. 5 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805021727/http://www.resurgenceprize.org/first-prize-ilex-by-sean-hewitt/. live.
- Web site: Seán Hewitt wins 2017 Resurgence Poetry Prize – The Poetry Society. 2020-09-01. poetrysociety.org.uk. 6 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171106234734/https://poetrysociety.org.uk/news/sean-hewitt-wins-2017-resurgence-poetry-prize/. live.