Brendan Kennelly - poet, dramatist, professor, critic, teacher, public speaker, media personality - has captured the imagination in Ireland and abroad for more than three decades. This book offers an understanding of the cultural phenomenon which is Brendan Kennelly through often moving and funny, always penetrating personal responses from a wide range of contributors. The list of contributors bears witness to the breadth of Kennelly's appeal. They include: Bono of rock group U2, television's Gay Byrne, former Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey, rugby international Hugo MacNeill, composer Jane O'Leary, sociologist Harry Ferguson, Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, and writers Derry Jeffares, John B. Keane, Declan Kiberd, Michael Longley, Paula Meehan, and Nell McCafferty (whose description of Kennelly gave the book its title). As well as comments on Kennelly's writing, the book gives insights into areas of his career and activities which do not normally receive attention: for example, his days as a budding writer, his time as a fun-loving student, his interest in sports, his involvement in creative writing workshops in schools and elsewhere, his teaching, his encouragement of young writers, his commercial advertising, his television appearances, his inspiration to other artists. How can someone be both a distinguished professor at Trinity College Dublin and a popular contributor to television programmes? A poet and a TV quizmaster? A former footballer and now a commentator on Irish politics? A master of Greek tragedy and an advertiser of Toyota Cars, Kerrygold Butter and the Allied Irish Bank? This Fellow with the Fabulous Smile will answer all and none of these questions. Brendan Kennelly wasn't Kerryman of the Year for nothing.