Sad passing of acclaimed Derry writer and Verbal Arts Centre founder Sam Burnside

The death has occurred of the talented Derry poet and writer Samuel Burnside who founded the Verbal Arts Centre in 1992.

Sam, who was originally from County Antrim, but was based in Derry for decades, passed away on Thursday, April 2.

He founded the Verbal Arts Centre thirty four years ago as an educational charity to promote literature in all its forms.

A prolific writer, he was best known for his poetry and non-fiction. His first novel, ‘My Name is Rebecca’, published by Hobart in 2021, won critical acclaim.

Set during the Troubles the novel explored the title character’s relationship and two male friends as they reconcile the murder of Rebecca’s sister Ruth in a bombing years earlier.

‘The Cathedral’ (1989), a long poem, won the Sunday Tribune/Hennessy Literary Award for Poetry in that year.

Other literary prizes, included an Allingham Poetry Prize, the University of Ulster’s McCrea Literary Award for Literature and a Bass Ireland Award.

Mr. Burnside was described in this paper as ‘one of the most important literary figures living in the north west’.

His ‘By Brackfield Bawn: On being in Brackfield Memorial Woods 2’ collection was an integral part of the Woodland Trust’s Centenary Wood project at Killaloo that is intended as a ‘lasting tribute to the people of Ireland who played a part in the First World War’.

Sam is predeceased by his wife Stella and mourned by his children Sarah, Kate and John and grandchildren Jack, Sophie, Matthew, Ben and Aimee. His funeral service took place at his home in Eglinton on Saturday after which his remains were interred in St Canice’s Parish churchyard.

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