Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann hosts special event entitled Smiling Public Man to commemorate the anniversary of the receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature by Senator W.B. Yeats in 1923

This evening event celebrates W.B. Yeats’s contribution to the public and political life of the new Irish state. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his inspired poetry, which gave “expression to the spirit of the whole nation”.  

Invited guests, Caitríona & Siobhán Yeats (granddaughters of W.B. Yeats), Susan O’Keeffe (Director of Yeats Society Sligo and former Member of Seanad Éireann), Adam Hanna, University College Cork and invited Senators, TDs and Former Senators will attend.

Speaking at the event, Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer said: “Since its first meeting in 1922, the Seanad has provided representation for a diversity of perspectives. It was very fitting that W.B. Yeats, a poet and dramatist who was acclaimed for his poetic expression of Ireland and Irishness, would take a seat in the Upper House of the new Irish parliament.

“With his profound understanding of the human condition, Yeats used his poetic sensibility and passion to inform his work as a Senator, and to contribute to the public and political life of our state.

“We are also delighted to be in partnership with the National Library of Ireland on the current Yeats Nobel Centenary short video series.”

ENDS.

This event will be recorded and the programme will be shown at 6pm on Friday 24th and repeated at 9pm on Sunday 26th November on Oireachtas TV

It will also be available to view from Monday 27th November on the Houses of the Oireachtas website

The Yeats Nobel Centenary video series can be viewed here

Maxwells Photography will file pictures of the event to newsdesks. Photographs will also be available on the Oireachtas Flickr account.