Lionel Fogarty

Lionel Fogarty (1958 – 12 February 2026), also published as Lionel Lacey, was an Indigenous Australian poet and political activist.

Early life Fogarty was born in 1958 on an Aboriginal reserve at Barambah (now called Cherbourg) in Queensland, where he grew up. He was of the Yoogum (Yugambeh) and Kudjela (?) peoples.

Activism Fogarty was involved in Aboriginal activism from his teenage years, including involvement with such organisations as Aboriginal Legal Service, Aboriginal Housing Service, Black Resource Centre, Black Community School and Murrie Coo-ee.

He met activist Cheryl Buchanan (born 1955 (1975–1977), originally out of the Black Resource Centre (BRC) in Melbourne (supported by the NUAUS Buchanan had been involved in the setup of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972, and became inaugural director of the BRC. The centre later moved to Brisbane. The charges, which had been laid by then premier of Queensland Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Special Branch in 1974, were on various offences relating to an alleged plot to "kidnap" Jim Varghese, students' union president at the University of Queensland.

As well as travelling around Australia promoting Murri culture and Aboriginal causes, in 1976 he travelled to the Second International Indian Treaty Council in South Dakota, United States, part of the American Indian Movement. In the International Year for the World's Indigenous People in 1993, Fogarty went on an extensive tour in Europe, reading his work.

He was involved with not-for-profit poetry organisation, The Red Room Company, participating in Unlocked, a program for inmates in New South Wales correctional centres, as well its creative projects including Clubs and Societies and The Poet's Life Works.

Death Fogarty died on 12 February 2026, at the age of 68.

Recognition and awards 2025: Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement 2023: Shortlisted, Prime Minister's Literary Awards, Poetry Award for Harvest Lingo 2023: Winner, Queensland Literary Awards, Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection for Harvest Lingo 2023: Shortlisted, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Indigenous Writers' Prize 2023: Shortlisted, Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Indigenous Writing for Harvest Lingo 2016: Shortlisted, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry 2006: Australian Council for the Arts – Promotional And Presentation Grant Award Literature Board 2996: Nominated, NBC Banjo Awards, Poetry Prize, for New and Selected poems: Munaldjali, Mutuerjararera

Selected works Fogarty's works include: Selected Works 1980-2016 (re.press, 2017) Eelahroo (Long Ago) Nyah (Looking) Möbö-Möbö (Future) (Vagabond Press, 2014) Mogwie-Idan: Stories of the Land (Vagabond Press, 2012) Connection Requital (Vagabond Press, 2010) Yerrabilela Jimbelung: Poems About Friends and Family, with Yvette Walker and Kargun Fogarty (Keeaira Press, 2008) Minyung Woolah Binnung: What Saying Says (Keeaira Press, 2004) New and Selected Poems: Munaldjali, Mutuerjaraera (Hyland House, 1995) Booyooburra: A Tale of the Wakka Murri with illustrations by Sharon Hodgson (Hyland House, 1993) Jagera (Murri Coo-ee, 1990) Ngutji (Murri Coo-ee, 1984) Kudjela (Murri Coo-ee, 1983) Yoogum Yoogum (Penguin, 1982) Kargun (Murri Coo-ee, 1980)