1. Great Scotsmen - William McGonagall William McGonagall was born in Edinburgh but brought up in Orkney until his familymoved to Dundee when he was 11. William McGonagall Poet. 1825-1902. http://www.firstfoot.com/Great Scot/gonagall.htm

Home About Contact Search ... Knickerbocker Politician William McGonagall - Poet "Mac Gonagall, Mac Gonagall, the worst of writers, of them all. He's known tae pen a poem or two, and through so doing gather, a fame that gets the purists goin', in somethin' o' a lather." William McGonagall was born in Edinburgh but brought up in Orkney until his family moved to Dundee when he was 11. This was his true, spiritual home and no mistake. The City that would ultimately spawn such literary classics as "The Beano", "The Dandy", "The People's Friend" and last but by no means least "The Sunday Post", is a somewhat fitting scenario for a genius such as McGonagall's. He has the somewhat dubious claim to fame of being the worst poet that Scotland, or indeed the world, has ever produced. When one examines his work, it's easy to see why. But damn, he's so bad, he's superb. Original Tay Bridge after the collapse - a warning to us all of the dangers of engaging English engineers We think he's an utter Superstar.

2. William McGonagall William McGonagall. NEAB have seen fit to include this estimable poet intheir current Anthology, so these links may add some depth to study. http://www.english1.org.uk/wmcgon.htm

English Teaching in the United Kingdom Approved content provider for the National Grid for Learning Home Search Literature Resources Key Stage 4 Literature William McGonagall NEAB have seen fit to include this estimable poet in their current Anthology, so these links may add some depth to study. William Topaz McGonagall-Poet and Tragedian McGonagall Online

3. Shiel Arts - Sculptures In Progress Page William Topaz McGonagall William Topaz McGonagall. (poet and tragedian). This work depicting WilliamTopaz McGonagall (poet and tradgedian) is shown here in it's uncast form. http://www.scottish-sculpture.com/Works_in_Progress/Mcgonagall.htm

William Topaz McGonagall (poet and tragedian) He may have been born in Edinburgh but Dundee is the city where McGonagall's work flourished. A handloom weaver by trade he is world renowned for his disjointed poetry that simply doesn't scan. Whether he was an ingenious buffoon or a shrewd entertainer (Mcgonagall extracted fees of between 5 and 10/- (50p) from the crowds who gleefully attended his public humiliations) is open to debate. Whatever the case, one cannot fail to admire McGonagall's eternal optimism-this is the man who walked from Dundee to Balmoral to present a volume of his treasured verse to his beloved Queen Victoria only to be told at the gates of the castle to go away This work depicting William Topaz McGonagall (poet and tradgedian) is shown here in it's uncast form. The standing figure stands at almost 50cm.high

4. William Topaz McGonagall - Wikipedia William Topaz McGonagall. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. WilliamTopaz McGonagall Born in 1825 in Edinburgh, of Irish parentage http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Topaz_McGonagall

Main Page Recent changes Edit this page Older versions Special pages Set my user preferences My watchlist Recently updated pages Upload image files Image list Registered users Site statistics Random article Orphaned articles Orphaned images Popular articles Most wanted articles Short articles Long articles Newly created articles All pages by title Blocked IP addresses Maintenance page External book sources Printable version Talk Log in Help William Topaz McGonagall From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. William Topaz McGonagall Born in in Edinburgh , of Irish parentage, Died September 29 , he was a handloom weaver living in Dundee Scotland when an event occurred that was to change his life. As he was later to write: The most startling incident in my life was the time I discovered myself to be a poet, which was in the year 1877. McGonagall has been acclaimed as the worst poet in British history, although some would argue that this is a harsh judgement. Of the 200 or so poems that he wrote, the most famous is probably the The Tay Bridge Disaster , which recounts the events of the evening of 28 December , when, during a severe gale Tay Rail Bridge near Dundee collapsed as a train was passing over it.

5. 2002 Notebook: Weak XXXIX 29 September 2002 William Topaz mcgonagall william Topaz McGonagall, arguably Scotland’ssecond most famous poet after the Great Chieftan o’ the Puddinrace http://www.stare.com/2002/weak39.html

2002 Notebook: Weak XXXIX No. 5,986 (cartoon) This farce is interminable. And then it just gets worse. 25 September 2002 The Scottish Breeze Above My Knees 26 September 2002 Stupid Advice They each repeat their respective positions as she drags the lad back into the kitchen. 27 September 2002 The Missing Distillery Perhaps not. Yesterday, I spotted a good-sized stream on the descent from Beinn Shenanigan. Since I was thirsty, I decided to follow the water to the distillery. I slogged through countless bogs and quagmires of mud, but when I finally reached the loch, all I found was more water. No colorful, old, bearded men, no quaint, old, brick distillery, no nothing. 28 September 2002 Feral Sheep Attack 29 September 2002 William Topaz McGonagall According to The Scots Magazine Fellow citizens, I consider such treatment to be very hard; Or else in the circumstances they would have seen to my protection; Then that would have been a proof of their affection, And how genius ought to be rewarded. History has not remembered McGonagall kindly. Take this entry from Chambers Biographical Dictionary 30 September 2002 Schloomph, Phrisch, Schloomph, Phrisch ...

6. William McGonagall William McGonagall, born 1903 or earlier, died 1921 or later Patrick's Peopleoffers information about Scottish and Irish people from 1750 on. http://www.mcgonigal.demon.co.uk/index/patrickspeople/1191.htm

7. McGonagall, William (c1825-1902). Poet. Concise biography and list of published works. http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~crumey/william_mcgonagall.html

William McGonagall W. N. Herbert's "Cabaret McGonagall". AC Poetic Gems (1890). Home

8. William McGonagall: Glasgow mcgonagall's poem about the city, with links to modern photographs of the features he describes. http://www.tlg.uci.edu/~opoudjis/Play/glasgow.html

Glasgow by William McGonagall Pictures taken by Nick Nicholas, August 1995 Beautiful city of Glasgow , with your streets so neat and clean Your stately mansions, and beautiful Green Likewise your beautiful bridges across the river Clyde And on your bonnie banks I would like to reside. Chorus Then away to the West - to the beautiful West! To the fair city of Glasgow that I like the best, Where the river Clyde rolls on to the sea, And the lark and the blackbird whistle with glee 'Tis beautiful to see ships passing to and fro, Laden with goods for the high and the low, So let the beautiful city of Glasgow flourish And may the inhabitants always find food their bodies to nourish Chorus The statue of the prince of Orange is very grand, Looking terror to the foe, with a truncheon in his hand And well mounted on a noble steed, which stands in Trongate And holding up its foreleg , I'm sure it looks first-rate. Chorus Then there's the Duke of Wellington's statue in Royal Exchange Square - It is a beautiful statue I without fear declare, Besides inspiring and most magnificent to view Because he made the French fly at the battle of Waterloo.

9. Dundee City Council, Scotland - Central Library, Local Studies Department, Willi Dundee City Council's page on the city's famous bard the world's best bad poet . Includes a facsimile of an original mcgonagall manuscript. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/centlib/mcgon.htm

William McGonagall Poet and Tragedian of Dundee He may have been born in Edinburgh, and he certainly died in Edinburgh, but Dundee is the city where William McGonagall's art first flourished. Dundee has a place in its heart for the world's best bad poet, who entertained countless thousands with disjointed verse that didn't scan, and whose purely functional rhyme paid scant attention to the overall demands of narrative. And yet, he is an enigma. His language quietly achieves an evocative economy which is the hallmark of good poetry. Only Dundonians know how well the phrase "Silvery Tay" conjures the river on a still winter's day. He foresaw the Tay Bridge disaster. Even more intriguingly, Lewis Spence relates how McGonagall was able to discourse intelligently on the likes of Shakespeare or Swinburne, thus totally belying his popular image as an ingenuous buffoon. Is there a possibility that McGonagall became trapped within his own web of deceit? Were his initial musings and recitals intended as parodies? Was he then lured into continuing the charade by means of 5/- (£0.25) or 10/- (£0.50) fees cleverly extracted from the baying crowds who attended these supposed humiliations? McGonagall had a large family, and hand-loom weaving was hardly a stimulating or profitable occupation. These temptations to "give up the day job" must have been overwhelming at times. Moreover, McGonagall was encouraged by the great Dundee philanthropists of the time, whose names are still remembered with affection - the Rev. George Gilfillan and A. C. Lamb. The latter paid McGonagall's return fare from his disastrous debut in New York, and both were a constant source of support for the impoverished bard.

10. SCOTTISH BOOKS A photograph of the poet, striking a dramatic pose with his hat and walking stick. http://www.magicdragon.com/Wallace/mcgonagall.html

SCOTTISH WRITERS William McGonagall Return to the previous page

11. McGonagall Online william Topaz mcgonagall, poet and tragedian of Dundee, has been widely hailed as the writer of the worst poetry in the http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/

Home Poems Life Articles Books ... About William Topaz McGonagall, poet and tragedian of Dundee, has been widely hailed as the writer of the worst poetry in the English language. A self-educated handloom weaver from Dundee, he discovered his discordant muse in 1877 and embarked upon a 25 year career as a working poet, delighting and appalling audiences across Scotland and beyond. This site aims to provide a comprehensive guide to the life and works of William McGonagall, including all his published poems and his remarkable (and unintentionally hilarious) autobiography. Please click on one of the headings below to begin your visit. Poetic Gems Though he's best known nowadays for The Tay Bridge Disaster , McGonagall actually published well over 200 poems in his lifetime. Explore this collection of his best(?) work, or try the "pick of the day" below... Gem of the Day: The Downfall of Delhi The mutineers are defeated by British dash Receive the Gem of the Day by email If you're a real glutton for punishment you can have the "Gem of the Day" sent to you regularly by email. 53 people have signed up to so far, why not

12. William Topaz McGonagall-Poet And Tragedian william mcgonagall. william mcgonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. http://www.taynet.co.uk/users/mcgon

Linkexchange Member William McGonagall William McGonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. This made him the perfect target for practical jokers who abounded in his day. He was engaged to give entertainments in small halls just so his audience could make a goat of him. His teetotal drink was spiked with alcohol. McGonagall had passed middle life before he got the idea he had been visited by the muse. He was born in Edinburgh in 1825 and grew up in Dundee, to which his father moved in search of work. William also laboured long hours in the weaving trade. All his life he was the butt of cruel jokes, but his faith in himself could not be shaken. His remains were dropped into a paupers' grave nearly a hundred years ago, but his memory holds up. All his poems have been published and so are there to be judged: they have, if nothing else, the quality of inimitability. Until earlier this year his name and portrait flourished over a public house in one of Dundee's main roads and a McGonagall Society endures.

13. William McGonagall-Poet And Tragedian Dundee-based fan club for the poet and tragedian. Presents a good selection of his poems and links Category Arts Literature Authors M mcgonagall, william......william mcgonagall. 1825? 29th September 1902 william mcgonagallis Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent http://www.dundee22.freeserve.co.uk/default.htm

William McGonagall 1825? - 29th September 1902 William McGonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. This made him the perfect target for practical jokers who abounded in his day. He was engaged to give entertainments in small halls just so his audience could make a goat of him. His teetotal drink was spiked with alcohol. McGonagall had passed middle life before he got the idea he had been visited by the muse. He was born in *Edinburgh in 1825 and grew up in Dundee, to which his father moved in search of work. William also laboured long hours in the weaving trade. All his life he was the butt of cruel jokes, but his faith in himself could not be shaken. His remains were dropped into a paupers' grave nearly a hundred years ago, but his memory holds up. All his poems have been published and so are there to be judged: they have, if nothing else, the quality of inimitability. Until earlier this year his name and portrait flourished over a public house in one of Dundee's main roads and a McGonagall Society endures.

14. Great Scotsmen - William McGonagall Humorous tribute from the alternative voice of Scotland . http://www.firstfoot.co.uk/Great Scot/gonagall.htm

http://firstfoot.co.uk/ http://firstfoot.co.uk/

15. The Poetry Of Scotland - Poems By William Topaz MacGonagall, Scotland's Worst Po Short bio plus small selection of poems with brief background information. http://www.it-serve.co.uk/poetry/Mcgonagall/mcgonagallhome.php

William Topaz McGonagall William Topaz McGonagall was an eccentric figure who was born in Edinburgh. He later moved to Dundee where he remained for much of his life. He was revered as "The World's Worst Poet" composing such rhymes as "The Tay Bridge Disaster". However he was very well read and was conversant with the works of Shakespeare, Scott, Burns and other well known writers. At long last, the City of Dundee are honouring McGonagall by prominently displaying in stone his famous poem about the River Tay. McGonagall's poetry bequeathed to the Scots the gift of humorous expression, the ability to see the funny side of things and a reminder to not take life too seriously. This is well demonstrated by many of his poems beginning with the word 'Beautiful' e.g. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Loch Katrine and even his poem about the River Tay uses that word. As a result of popular demand, we have added McGonagall's trilogy of poems on The Tay Bridge. Examples of McGonagall's Poems:- An Address to the New Tay Bridge Glasgow Edinburgh An Ode to the Queen on her Jubilee Day ... The Tay Bridge Disaster Vote for your Favourite McGonagall Poem Voting Form A Fuller List of McGonagall Poems A Descriptive Poem on the Silvery Tay An Address to the New Tay Bridge Baldovan Balmoral Castle Beautiful Aberfoyle Beautiful Balmerino Beautiful Balmoral Beautiful Comrie Beautiful Crieff Beautiful Edinburgh Beautiful Monikie Beautiful Nairn Beautiful Newport on the Braes o' the Silvery Tay Beautiful North Berwick Beautiful Rothesay Beautiful Torquay

16. William McGonagall-Poet And Tragedian 29th September 1902. william mcgonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. http://www.dundee22.freeserve.co.uk/

William McGonagall 1825? - 29th September 1902 William McGonagall is Dundee's best remembered nobody. He was a man without talent who thought he was a great poet and tragedian and only needed an opportunity to prove it. This made him the perfect target for practical jokers who abounded in his day. He was engaged to give entertainments in small halls just so his audience could make a goat of him. His teetotal drink was spiked with alcohol. McGonagall had passed middle life before he got the idea he had been visited by the muse. He was born in *Edinburgh in 1825 and grew up in Dundee, to which his father moved in search of work. William also laboured long hours in the weaving trade. All his life he was the butt of cruel jokes, but his faith in himself could not be shaken. His remains were dropped into a paupers' grave nearly a hundred years ago, but his memory holds up. All his poems have been published and so are there to be judged: they have, if nothing else, the quality of inimitability. Until earlier this year his name and portrait flourished over a public house in one of Dundee's main roads and a McGonagall Society endures.

17. McGonagall Online: William McGonagall Obituary william mcgonagall Obituary from a Special Correspondent. P created. SIRwilliam TOPAZ mcgonagall. Knight of the White Elephant, Burmah . http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/life/obit2.htm

Home Poems Life Articles ... About William McGonagall Obituary from a Special Correspondent P oor old McGonagall has gone the way of all flesh, and the world is certainly the poorer in some respects. Whatever might be thought of his "poetry", there never was any difference of opinion as to the amusment it afforded; and if the world did not always take him at his own valuation , it could never be disputed that he believed in himself, and sincerity is the first requisite in men, even if "poets". He was born in Edinburgh about 80 years ago of Irish parents. His father was a handloom weaver, and the future poet learned the same business, and wrought at it for many years in Dundee. But, as he himself has told us in his autobiography the trade grew so bad he found it impossible to make a living out of it. But, lux in tenebris, it is always darkest before the dawn, and it was while out of work and in inprovident condition that he made the grand discovery that he was a POET. This memorable event cannot be better told than in his own words I remember how I felt when I received the spirit of poetry. It was in the year of 1877, and in the month of June, when trees and flowers were in full bloom. Well, it being the holiday week in Dundee, I was sitting in my back room in Paton's Lane, Dundee, lamenting to myself because I couldn't get to the Highlands on holiday to see the beautiful scenery, when all of a sudden my body got inflamed, and instantly I was seized with a strong desire to write poetry, so strong, in fact, that in imagination I thought I heard a voice crying in my ears "Write! Write!" I wondered what could be the matter with me, and I began to walk backwards and forwards in a great fit of excitement, saying to myself "I know nothing about poetry." But still the voice kept ringing in my ears - "Write, write," until at last, being overcome with a desire to write poetry, I found paper, pen, and ink, and in a state of frenzy, sat me down to think what would be my first subject for a poem

18. McGonagall 2002 Virtual gallery, and details of exhibition celebrating the work of william mcgonagall. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/centlib/silverytay/index.htm

Click on a photograph to display a larger image. Please be patient these files take a few minutes to download Bonnie Montrose - The Castle O' The Mains The Royal Poet Dundee Music Hall ... 28th December 1879 These images are from an exhibition that was held in Central Library , The Wellgate, Dundee th September to 31 st October 2002. Contact Local Studies Department , Tel No 01382 434377 for further information about McGonagall. Gallery created by the Community Information Team

19. William McGonagall - Library Catalogue william mcgonagall Appreciation Society Library Catalogue NO POETS CORNER IN THEABBEY by David Phillips the dramatic story of william mcgonagall. Dundee. http://www.dundee22.freeserve.co.uk/bglink4.htm

William McGonagall Appreciation Society Library Catalogue October 2000 Archivist Catalogue SELECT POEMS OF McGONAGALL...22 selected poems, preface, editor's observations. NO POETS CORNER IN THE ABBEY by David Phillips...the dramatic story of William McGonagall. Dundee. David Winter and Son Limited, 1971, 222 pages, hardback, good condition. BOTTLENECKS ARE AT THE TOP by Mae Woods Bell...Selection of poems gifted to the Society by the Author. North Carolina. Falls of the tap, 1988, 110 pages, paperback, mint condition. ( signed copy ). THE REAL McGONAGALL...35 selected poems, brief biography. Glasgow. D. R. Burnside, 1945, 64 pages, paperback, good condition. POETIC GEMS...selected works, biographical sketch and reminiscences by the Author. Dundee. David Winter and Son, 1947, 216 pages, paperback, no cover. MORE POETIC GEMS...39 further poems. London. Duckworth, 1980, 79 pages, paperback, mint condition. POETIC GEMS...selected works, foreword by Spike Milligan, brief biography. London. Folio Society, 1985, 218 pages, hardback with sleeve, mint condition.

20. McGonagall Online: The Pennsylvania Disaster Poem about the flood by famously bad poet william mcgonagall, with historical footnote and links. http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/poems/pgpenn.htm

Home Poems Life Articles ... About The Pennsylvania Disaster 'TWAS in the year of 1889, and in the month of June, Ten thousand people met with a fearful doom, By the bursting of a dam in Pennsylvania State, And were burned, and drowned by the flood oh! pity their fate! The embankment of the dam was considered rather weak, And by the swelled body of water the embankment did break, And burst o'er the valley like a leaping river, Which caused the spectators with fear to shiver. And on rushed the mighty flood, like a roaring big wave, Whilst the drowning people tried hard their lives to save; But eight thousand were drowned, and their houses swept away, While the spectators looked on, stricken with dismay. And when the torrent dashed against the houses they instantly toppled o'er, Then many of the houses caught fire, which made a terrific roar; And two thousand people, by the fire, lost their lives, Consisting of darling girls and boys, also men and their wives. And when the merciless flood reached Johnstown it was fifty feet high, While, in pitiful accents, the drowning people for help did cry;

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