Matthew Gerard Sweeney was born in Lifford, Ireland on October 6, 1952. He studied German and English at the Polytechnic of North London and graduated in 1978. He was a poet. His collections of poetry included A Round House, The Lame Waltzer, Blue Shoes, Cacti, The Bridal Suite, A Smell of Fish, Sanctuary, Black Moon, The Night Post, King of a Rainy Country, and My Life as a Painter. He co-wrote Writing Poetry and Getting Published and Death Comes for the Poets with John Hartley Williams. He also wrote poetry collections for children including The Flying Spring Onion and Fatso in the Red Suit and Other Poems. He died from motor neuron disease on August 5, 2018 at the age of 65.
