Theo Dorgan is an Irish poet, critic, writer and broadcaster, screenwriter, activist and historian. Born in Cork, 1953, he was co-director of the Cork Film Festival from 1986 to 1989, and Director of Poetry Ireland, 1989-2000. He was elected a member of Aosdána, Ireland’s academy of the arts, in 1999 and served on The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon from 2003 to 2008. He was presenter of Poetry Now on RTE Radio 1 from 1996 to 1997, and from 1993 to 1995 presented that station’s weekly books programme, Inprint. For five years he presented The Invisible Thread, an interview series on RTÉ Lyric FM.

He began publishing poems as an undergraduate (studying under John Montague) before going on to publish several collections: The Ordinary House of Love in 1991, Rosa Mundi in 1995 and Sappho’s Daughter in 1998. His interest in sailing led him to publishing the best-selling memoirs Sailing for Home (2004) and Time on the Ocean. He has worked frequently with musicians. His Jason and The Argonauts, set to music by Howard Goodall, was commissioned by and premiered in the Royal Albert Hall in 2004. A series of texts commissioned from him features in the dance musical Riverdance. His songs have been recorded by  Alan Stivell, Jimmy Crowley and Cormac Breathnach.