Michael Yeats Loans a Japanese Sword to The National Library

Library to show rare Yeats items

PRICELESS Yeats memorabilia will be handed over to the National Library today for its first major exhibition on the Nobel prize-winning poet.

The hoard includes poems, portraits and a precious Japanese sword given to Yeats during a lecture tour of the US in 1920.

The material will be given to the library on temporary loan by Yeats's son, Michael, for the exhibition, entitled 'Yeats: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats', due to open later this year.

"This will be the first major exhibition developed by the National Library on the great poet," said director Aongus O hAonghusa.

Irish Independent 11/01/2006