Editing Michael Hartnett (section)

==Early writings==
Hartnett had started writing by this time and his work came to the attention of the poet [[John Jordan (poet)|John Jordan]], who was professor of English at [[University College Dublin]].  Jordan invited Hartnett to attend the university for a year. While back in Dublin, Hartnett co-edited the literary magazine ''Arena'' with [[James Liddy]]. He also worked as curator of [[James Joyce|Joyce's]] tower at [[Sandycove]] for a time. He returned briefly to London, where he met Rosemary Grantley on 16 May 1965, and they were married on 4 April 1966. His first book, ''Anatomy of a Cliché'',<ref>{{cite book |last=De Breffny |first=Brian |author-link= |date=1983 |title=Ireland: A Cultural Encyclopedia |url= |location=London |publisher=Thames and Hudson |page=173|isbn=}}</ref> a book of love poetry dedicated to his wife was published in 1968 to critical acclaim and was the beginning of his serious writing life and he returned to live permanently in Dublin that same year.

He worked as a night telephonist at the telephone exchange on Exchequer Street. He now entered a productive relationship with [[New Writers Press]], run by [[Michael Smith (poet)|Michael Smith]] and [[Trevor Joyce]]. They published his next three books. The first of these was a translation from the Irish,  ''The Old Hag of Beare'' (1969), followed by ''Selected Poems'' (1970) and  ''Tao'' (1972). This last book was a version of the Chinese ''[[Tao Te Ching]]''. His ''Gypsy Ballads'' (1973), a translation of the ''Romancero Gitano'' of [[Federico García Lorca]]  was published by the [[Goldsmith Press]].