[KS] Kevin O'Rourke RIP

[Brother Anthony]

A fairly full list of Kevin's publications compiled by LTI Korea can be found at  https://library.ltikorea.or.kr/taxonomy/term/1794   His appearance on the TV show "Face To Face" is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVg61TSERY 

Like James Gale, he was fascinated by the poetry of Yi Kyu-Bo and other not-very-modern Korean poets of Koryeo and Joseon, as well as a number of modern poets and writers, since he translated modern fiction as well as poetry. His most-read work was probably the translation of Yi Munyol's "Our Twisted Hero," especially after it was reprinted (with unwelcome editing, I seem to recall) by Hyperion East in 2001. Like the rest of us, including James Gale, he found it difficult to interest publishers in Korean poetry and much of his work appeared in less-than-widely-familiar presses. His written English, like his spoken English, showed clearly how deeply rooted he was in the specific English of his native Ireland. He was himself a poet, familiar from childhood with Irish traditions of oral poetry. Maybe, like James Gale, he has left behind some unpublished work, we must wait and see. May he rest in peace.

Brother Anthony