Ian McMillan (poet)

Infobox Writer
name = Ian McMillan


imagesize =
caption =
birthdate = Birth date and age|1956|1|21
birthplace = Darfield, Barnsley, Yorkshire
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = poet, journalist, playwright, broadcaster
nationality = British
period = 1980–"present
genre =
subject =
website = http://www.uktouring.org.uk/ian-mcmillan/
portaldisp = y:"For the former Scottish footballer, see Ian McMillan (footballer)."

Ian McMillan (born January 21, 1956 in Darfield, Barnsley, Yorkshire [ [http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth132 "Ian McMillan"] , Peter Forbes, British Council, 2002] ) is a British poet, journalist, playwright and broadcaster who has continued to live in Darfield. [ [http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=7893 "Ian McMillan - The South Bank Show"] , ITV, 15 July 2007]

McMillan graduated from North Staffordshire Polytechnic in 1978. He started performing on the live poetry circuit in the 1970s. As a child he played the Drums. He has had several volumes of poetry published for both adults and children. He is an enthusiastic advocate of poetry. In addition he has had journalism published in "Q magazine", "Mojo magazine" and writes a weekly column in his home town's local newspaper, "The Barnsley Chronicle"". He has the unique honour of being the first poet in residence to a football club, his hometown Barnsley FC.

Most recently his play "Sister Josephine Kicks the Habit", based on the work of fellow Yorkshireman Jake Thackray premiered in 2005.

TV and radio work

McMillan hosts the weekly show "The Verb "and Proms variation "Adverb" on BBC Radio 3, "dedicated to investigating spoken words around the globe". According to the "Radio Times", he is the 22nd Most Powerful Person in Radio. He is also a regular roving contributor to BBC Radio 4 "Today" Programme where he was Election Laureate.

During January 2007, he presented a BBC Radio 3 series on the art of writing, "Ian McMillan's Writing Lab", talking to a range of writers including Julian Barnes, Mark Ravenhill, Howard Jacobson and Michael Rosen

Recently he has become a regular guest on BBC Radio 4's long-running panel game 'Just A Minute'.

McMillan is a regular guest on "Newsnight Review", "The Mark Radcliffe Show", The "Today" Programme, "You & Yours", "The Culture Show", "Never Mind The Full Stops"… and "Have I Got News For You?". He narrates "The Museum" on BBC 2 on Thursdays and has also been the voice behind adverts for Persil and Oats so simple.

Poetry competitions

Ian has also taken part in competitions. In December 2006, McMillan judged the "Central Trains Poetry Competition" and the winners, from the Royal Grammar School Worcester, were awarded with a signed copy of his poem "Take me on a Christmas Trip on Central Trains" at Birmingham Snow Hill Station. [ [http://www.uktouring.org.uk/ian-mcmillan/press.htm See picture top left] ] [ [http://www.uktouring.org.uk/ian-mcmillan/biography.htm See picture top right] ] [ [http://www.rgsao.org/rgsao/poetic_winners News] ]

GNER Mallard HST

On the 27th of February 2007, McMillan [http://www.uktouring.org.uk/ian-mcmillan/index.html wrote a poem] for the launch of the new GNER refurbished Mallard InterCity 225 fleet.

Yorkshire dialect work

In 2007, McMillan published a book named "Collins Chelp and Chunter: a Guide to the Tyke Tongue". This was a compilation of words that are used in the Yorkshire dialect as well as a few pieces of Yorkshire humour and illustrations. Many words are pinned down to specific areas of Yorkshire, or to specific towns or villages; one word is even ascribed to Grange Moor - a small village between Barnsley and Huddersfield.

References

ee also

* Royal Grammar School Worcester
* GNER

External links

* [http://www.uktouring.org.uk/ian-mcmillan Official Ian McMillan site]
*
* [http://www.open2.net/writing/index.html "Ian McMillan's Writing Lab"]

Persondata
NAME= McMillan, Ian
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= poet, journalist, playwright, broadcaster
DATE OF BIRTH= 21 January 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH= Darfield, Barnsley, UK
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=