Dennis Greig, who has died aged 76, was a poet and the editor of Lapwing Publications, a luminary poetry press in Belfast, for more than 30 years.
At first glance, Dennis looked like a cross between an ancient bard and a heavy-metal guitarist. After a little acquaintance he became an even more visionary figure. Michael Longley gave his blessings and voice to the establishment of Lapwing Publications, as well as Mairtín Crawford, himself an interstellar force in the promotion of new poets beyond the safety nets of academia. The cross-community nature of the venture was never in doubt, and it became the wellspring of Dennis’s theatrical projects – along with his wife, Rene, he ran a theatre group for young actors, touring to venues in Ireland and to Brighton.
