Author. The son of an immigrant Irish weaver, he spent some of his childhood on the island of South Ronaldsay in the Orkneys, settled with his family in Dundee at the age of 11, and became a handloom weaver with his father. In 1846 he married Jean King. He did some acting at Dundee's Royal Theatre, and in 1878 published his first collection of poems, including "Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay". From then on he traveled in central Scotland, giving readings and selling his poetry in broadsheets. In Edinburgh he was lionized by the legal and student fraternity. He visited London in 1880 and New York in 1887. His poems are uniformly bad, but possess a disarming naivet and a calypso-like disregard for metre which remain entertaining. His Poetic Gems were published in 1890, and More Poetic Gems in 1962), followed by others.
Author. The son of an immigrant Irish weaver, he spent some of his childhood on the island of South Ronaldsay in the Orkneys, settled with his family in Dundee at the age of 11, and became a handloom weaver with his father. In 1846 he married Jean King. He did some acting at Dundee's Royal Theatre, and in 1878 published his first collection of poems, including "Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay". From then on he traveled in central Scotland, giving readings and selling his poetry in broadsheets. In Edinburgh he was lionized by the legal and student fraternity. He visited London in 1880 and New York in 1887. His poems are uniformly bad, but possess a disarming naivet and a calypso-like disregard for metre which remain entertaining. His Poetic Gems were published in 1890, and More Poetic Gems in 1962), followed by others.
Bio by: JK Gillon
Inscription
William McGonagall
Poet and Tragedian
Died 2nd September 1902
Buried near this spot
"I am your Gracious Majesty
ever faithful to Thee,
William McGonagall, The Poor Poet
That lives in Dundee"
W.McG. 6th Sept. 1877
1999
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