Peacekeeper – Poetry Collection
by Michael J. Whelan MA
Inspired by his tours of duty as a United Nations Peacekeeper with the Irish Defence Forces in South Lebanon and Kosovo, Michael J. Whelan, poet, historian and writer, has compiled his poems into a new publication titled “Peacekeeper”.
This collection of poetry will be launched on Wednesday, 13 April, at 1830hrs, in the County Library, Tallagh. The collection is published by Doire Press. All members of the Military Heritage of Ireland Trust (CLG) have been invited to attend the launch.
Michael is a member of the Military Heritage of Ireland Trust (CLG) and the Military History Society of Ireland. He is a Curator in the Irish Air Corps Military Aviation Museum. In 2010, he was awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma by the Federation Aeronautiqe Internationale for his work in preserving Irish military and aviation heritage.
Michael’s poetry has been widely published. He was 2nd Place Winner in the Patrick Kavanagh International Poetry Awards 2011 (short-listed 2012), and 3rd Place Winner in the Jonathan Swift Creative Writing Awards 2012 (short-listed 2011). In 2012, he was selected as a reader at the Eigse Eireann/Poetry Ireland Introductions.
In 2014, a sequence of Michael’s poems were published in an anthology ‘The 100 Years War – Modern War Poems” edited by Neil Astley (Bloodaxe UK)
His publications include ‘The Battle of Jadotville: Irish Soldiers in Combat in the Congo – 1961’ and ‘Allegiances Compromised: Faith, Honour and Allegiance – Former British Soldiers in the Irish Army 1913-1924’.
Michael Whelan UNIFIL – South Lebanon – 1994
