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New page: '''William Topaz McGonagall''' (1830-1902) was a noted Scottish poet. A minimally educated weaver, he only took to poetry late in life, following an epiphany. He took at ...
'''William Topaz McGonagall''' (1830-1902) was a noted [[Scotland|Scottish]] poet.
A minimally educated weaver, he only took to poetry late in life, following an [[epiphany]]. He took at once to writing memorable verses, often about his native land, some of the most famous being, ''"Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay"'' and ''"The Tay Bridge Disaster"'', and walked all the way to [[Balmoral Castle]] to obtain the patronage of [[Queen Victoria]].
Although only one book of his works, ''Poetic Gems'', was published during his lifetime, material sufficient for two subsequent volumes was written and published posthumously.
He was a celebrated live performer, dressed in [[tartan]] and brandishing a [[broadsword]] as he declaimed his verse, performing regularly in his home town of Dundee, and latterly all across lower Scotland.
An early advocate of [[Temperance]], his poetry frequently warned against the perils of [[alcohol]].
== External link ==
[http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/ McGonagall online]
A minimally educated weaver, he only took to poetry late in life, following an [[epiphany]]. He took at once to writing memorable verses, often about his native land, some of the most famous being, ''"Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay"'' and ''"The Tay Bridge Disaster"'', and walked all the way to [[Balmoral Castle]] to obtain the patronage of [[Queen Victoria]].
Although only one book of his works, ''Poetic Gems'', was published during his lifetime, material sufficient for two subsequent volumes was written and published posthumously.
He was a celebrated live performer, dressed in [[tartan]] and brandishing a [[broadsword]] as he declaimed his verse, performing regularly in his home town of Dundee, and latterly all across lower Scotland.
An early advocate of [[Temperance]], his poetry frequently warned against the perils of [[alcohol]].
== External link ==
[http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/ McGonagall online]