Artists' body won't cut off poet's funding
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THE most prestigious artists' group in the State said last night it would continue to fund Cathal O Searcaigh's artistic pursuits despite a damning documentary.
It has been revealed that Aosdana is making an annual payment of €12,180 -- known as the cnuas -- to the poet.
The annuity to enable recipients to engage in the "full-time pursuit of their art", runs over the course of five years.
Cnuas recipients receive payments quarterly in advance, the next instalments to be paid on April 1 and July 1.
In addition, Mr O Searcaigh is entitled to be part of a defined-benefit pension scheme, to which the Arts Council contributes half the premium.
He has previously benefited from many State grants, the most valuable of which was a €258,000 to extend his cottage beside the Errigal mountains in Donegal.
Donegal County Council, Udaras na Gaeltachta and the Arts Council have an ongoing arrangement with the poet to fund a revamp of his family home for future use as a cultural centre.
It will be built on the model of the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Co Monaghan.
In return for this arrangement, the poet has agreed to deposit his valuable archive of writings and original editions of his work with the council's library and archive service.
Fears have been raised about the final destination of the poet's cash after a documentary showed him buying presents for young men in Nepal.
A number of the men, aged from 16, claimed that they had slept with O Searcaigh after he invited them to his hotel room.
Last night, the Arts Council and Aosdana's spokesperson confirmed that the State stipend to O Searcaigh will continue to be paid out.
"We are not making any comment on Mr O Searcaigh but have no plans to stop anybody's cnuas," he said.
Mr O Searcaigh's name is listed among numerous members of the 228-member arts body who receive the cnuas, including fine artists, writers and architects.
Current recipients of the annual payment include playwright Marina Carr, poets Anthony Cronin and Theo Dorgan, writer Ulick O'Connor, and actor and writer Gerard Mannix Flynn.
Members of Aosdana can get the annuity for a term of five years "to assist them in concentrating their energies in the 'full time pursuit of their art'."
This includes members not living in Ireland, but whose work has "generally been based here".
A member can apply for the cnuas once they give an outline of the nature of the creative work they will engage in during that timeframe.
They also have to show that their earnings do not exceed one-and-a-half times the value of the cnuas.
Previously grants to the poet included €2,000 from Foras na Gaeilge and a €15,000 grant to his publisher to fund poetry books.
the forgotten boys: Martin devlin, page 37
- Anne-Marie Walsh
