The funeral of the late Edwin Morgan - Scotland’s first national poet - will take place on Thursday 26 August at the University of Glasgow.

Morgan passed away on Thursday 19 August. He was 90-years-of-age.  Edwin Morgan

The funeral will take place at 1.30pm at the University’s Bute Hall, while the coffin will lie in wait in the University Chapel from 9am.

Dr George Reid, former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, will deliver the eulogy.

Liz Lochead, the Scottish poet and writer will be among a number of figures to read from Morgan’s work.

All are welcome to attend the funeral service.

The University service will be followed by a private cremation for Morgan’s family and close friends.

Paying tribute to Morgan last week Professor Anton Muscatelli, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, described Morgan, a former University of Glasgow graduate and Professor of English, as “as one of the finest poets Scotland has ever produced”.

Professor Muscatelli continued: “His contribution to poetry and the arts in Scotland and beyond is huge and he will be fondly remembered by a great many people."

Morgan was Professor of English at Glasgow from 1975 until he retired in 1980.

He was appointed the inaugural Poet Laureate for Glasgow in 1999 and Scotland’s first national poet – or Scots Makar – by the Scottish Parliament in 2004, awarded an OBE in 1982 and was winner of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2000.

He penned more than 60 poetry books and was the last remaining member of the ‘Big Seven’ poets of Hugh MacDiarmid, Robert Garioch, Norman MacCaig, Iain Crichton Smith, George Mackay Brown and Sorley MacLean.

Morgan was born in Glasgow in 1920 and was educated at Rutherglen Academy, followed by Glasgow High School. He began his studies at the University in 1937 but at the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps before returning to the University in 1946.

For more media information please contact Ray McHugh, Media Relations Manager, on 0141 330 3535 or ray.mchugh@glasgow.ac.uk

First published: 24 August 2010

<< August