36 H P M
21 July 74
My dear Derek,
Many thanks yrs.
You have confirmed my own feelings about
Peter Fallon - he gets a mention in a ''gossip
col" in today's IRISH TIMES as publisher of 2
Patrick Kavanagh Award winners - date of entry
(for at least 20 poems) is in Sept. I may
possibly xxxx enter. Yes,we must fix an after-
noon to go through the poems. Fine.
I've had a bloody week x due to mistakes made
by others,notably THE TIMES - 4 phone calls,
a long visit,promise to get the advt in next
Monday. An hour ago I had a phone call from
someone who said it appeared yesterday!- in the
Sits. Vac. col. It begins "Professional
gentleman require roon..." I ask you! Muddle
at Herta's hotel. Letter from Roy saying he'd
been in London,posted in good time,and received
days after his arrival - and he hadn't my phone
number. Taxis to try to keep appointments. Bloody!
Anyway,I did see Roy yesterday and we had
a good chat - his wife and 2 or 3 kids are here
too. Hope to see him tomorrow, though perhaps
briefly. He leaves Monday. The bombs haven't
changed him,but he tells me that his income has
for third award
They had lost text and cheque.
gone down by 50% in the last xx 4 years. With
5 children it must have been a real blow,but he
seems to accept it philosophically.
