9 March 2011
Unpublished McGonagall poems to be unveiled in Dundee
Several poems by William Topaz McGonagall that have never been published in any book will soon be recited in public for the first time in more than 100 years.
The poems were unearthed last year by local historian Norman Watson and will be given their public airing on March 19th when the University of Dundee hosts the Ig Nobel Show, a celebration of achievements and research which make you laugh but also make you think.
McGonagall's work fits perfectly with the ethos of the Ig Nobels - he is considered by many as the worst poet in the English Language, and his recently discovered work may be viewed as being of absolutely no literary importance, but will undoubtedly be of great interest and enjoyment to many in the English-speaking world.
The Ig Nobel Show takes place at the University of Dundee on Saturday 19th March. At the end of the show, the audience and presenters will rise and together read aloud the concluding lines of McGonagall’s most famous poem, 'The Tay Bridge Disaster'.
The annual Ig Nobel prizes honour unusual and fascinating achievements, most of them coming straight from sciences, technology and the Arts. In addition to the reading of McGonagall poems, during the show Ig Nobel prize winners will explain:
- how your underwear could save you from certain death
- why some artists confused left and right body parts
- what it might mean when a bird flies in to your window
Marc Abrahams, organiser of the Ig Nobel Prizes and columnist for The Guardian, will also review the past year's improbable research at the event.
The Ig Nobel Show has been staged around the world and came to Dundee for the first time last year. It proved a hit as the audience revelled in seeing the World’s first facemask bra and saw forensics expert Professor Sue Black pull a 24-inch blade out of a sword-swallower Dan Meyer
'I am thrilled to have the Ig Nobel Show back in Dundee and it is a huge boost to have the added bonus of being able to reveal the previously unpublished poems of McGonagall to a Dundee audience, the city where he spent most of his life,' said Dr Jon Urch, Public Outreach Co-ordinator at the University.
'The Ig Nobel awards are a worldwide phenomenon, spreading the message that research can be funny, enlightening and but most importantly open to everyone. We have four fantastic speakers taking part and it promises to be a rip-roaring evening filled with life-saving inventions and a tribute to one of Dundee’s most famous sons.'
The Ig Nobel Awards show takes place in the Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill, University of Dundee, at 6pm, Saturday 19th March
The event is open to the public and tickets are £5 / £3 Concessions. The show may not be suitable for primary-age children. Overflow theatres - using a live video link to the main auditorium - may be in use to accommodate the wide interest in the event.
Tickets are available from www.dundee.ac.uk/tickets
(under the heading 'Other Lectures'), 8th Floor of the Tower Building at the University of Dundee, or
by contacting 01382 386669 or revealingresearch@dundee.ac.uk.
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information about this events, please contact Jon Urch on 01382 386669 or email
j.urch@dundee.ac.uk.
Marc Abrahams is editor of the bimonthly Annals of Improbable Research and organiser of the Ig Nobel prize.
Marc Abrahams is available for interview and can be contacted via email at
marca@improbable.com or on his mobile on ( +1 617 642 5476).
For information about the Ig Nobel Tour of the UK go to
http://improbable.com/improbable-research-shows/ig-uk-tour.
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902 |
