In memory of Professor Michael O'Neill (1953-2018)
Professor Michael O'Neill, a great scholar of Romanticism, and a hugely talented poet, passed away in late December 2018. We are deeply saddened by this loss.
Michael O'Neill will be remembered by his friends, colleagues and students as an immensely kind, generous, and inspiring man. His legacy will live on through his hugely important scholarship, in his stunning poetry, and in our fond memories.
The K-SAA will be printing a tribute to Michael - by Mark Sandy and Duncan Wu - in the next issue of the Keats-Shelley Journal.
Michael was named one of the K-SAA Distinguished Scholars at MLA in Chicago in January 2019. Duncan Wu gave an encomium and Mark Sandy collected the award on Michael's behalf, and will return the commemorative plaque to his family. It is tragic that this was awarded posthumously and our thoughts are with Michael's family at this time.
There is a heartwarming obituary here (via the Keats Foundation).
You can listen to one of Michael's keynote talks, and a recent poetry reading via the READ English website (Durham University) here.
From the Durham University website:
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Michael O’Neill, Professor of English, who passed away on Friday, 21st December. Michael had come through the initial phase of his illness with immense courage, and continued to give lectures and supervise his PhD students until the week before his death.
Michael joined the University forty years ago, in 1979. He was Head of the Department of English Studies from 1997 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2005. Michael was a driving force behind the establishment of the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) at Durham University. He was a Director (Arts and Humanities) of the IAS from 2005 to 2011 and served as the Acting Executive Director from January 2011 until May 2012.
Michael was a leading scholar of Romantic poetry, an expert of international standing on poetic influence, dialogues, and legacies, and a prize-winning poet. He is to be honoured as a Distinguished Scholar by the Keats-Shelley Association of America at the MLA Convention in Chicago this month.
He will be remembered by generations of students and scholars as an inspirational lecturer and mentor.
Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with Michael’s family at this extremely sad time. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Donations, if desired, should be made to The Northern Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Unit at The Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, or to The Marie Curie Team at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham.
Although Michael is no longer with us in person, his legacy lives on in his scholarship, poetry and academic publications, and generations of students who have been influenced by his teaching.