On the Town: The second and final volume of Roy Foster's biography, W.B. Yeats: A Life, was feted in London and Dublin this week in distinguished company.
The poet's son, Michael Yeats, said his only quibble was that the book should be called A Life when it is clearly the life, as readable as it is definitive.
Jennifer Lyons, wife of the late historian, F.S.L. Lyons, was at the launch in the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery in Dublin on Tuesday evening. It was at her husband's memorial service that Michael Yeats asked Trinity historian Theo Moody who should take over the biography which Lyons had begun; he thought for about 10 seconds and said: "Roy Foster". Seventeen years later - the exact age of his daughter Nora - the project was completed.
Trinity academics were there in force, including Prof J.M.V. Luce, who presented Foster with an honorary degree last summer and Professor of English, Terence Brown.
Poets included Robert Graecen and also Seamus Heaney, who was just back from Santa Fe where he and Dennis O'Driscoll manned some readings and seminars.
Heaney's daughter, Catherine, attended the London launch, his son, Mick, interviewed Foster and Marie Heaney joined the festivities on Tuesday. A well fostered family.
Wife of the author, and novelist and critic, Aisling Foster was joined by a host of fellow scribblers including Anne Enright, Colm Tóibín, Roddy Doyle, James Ryan, Anthony Glavin, Clare Boylan, Hugo Hamilton and Sebastian Barry.
Archivist Caitriona Crowe, artist Sean Hillen, compiler of the Dictionary of Irish Biography James Maguire, architect Denis Looby, historian Margaret Mac Curtain, director Patrick Mason and academics Luke Gibbons and Andrew Carpenter were among the crowd, hosted by the director of the Municipal Gallery, Barbara Dawson.
Afterwards, there was a supper hosted by the Fosters' good friends, Kieran and Vivienne Guinness, at Knockmaroon House.
The book will be launched in the US in November; meanwhile Foster, who is the Carroll Professor of Irish History, will be back in the lecture halls of Oxford on Monday morning.