Renowned Irish poet John Montague dies aged 87

The Irish poet John Montague (28 February 1929 − 10 December 2016) died early on Saturday morning in the Clinique Parc Impérial in Nice aged 87. Born in New York, John Montague was brought up in Tyrone. One of the best known Irish contemporary poets, he published a number of volumes of poetry, two collections of short stories and two volumes of memoir. He became the first occupant of the Ireland Chair of Poetry in 1998. 

Ireland's President Michael D Higgins said his death represents "another great loss to Irish letters, a further break with a rich body of work that was the gift of poets and dramatists, to Ulster, Ireland and the world".

Chair of Ireland's Arts Council Sheila Pratschke described him as a "true giant of Irish letters" and said he "possessed a voice and vision which was wholly unique and deeply needed."