Eugene Benson is a Canadian citizen born in Northern Ireland in 1928. He obtained an M.A. from the University of Western Ontario, and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. He is currently a professor of English at the University of Guelph. He married Renate Niklaus in 1968 and has two children. Benson was President (1971-72, 1987-88) and director (1968-86) of the Guelph Spring Festival, chair of The Writers' Union of Canada (1983-84), and co-president (1984-85) and vice-president (1985-89) of PEN Canada. His published work includes libretti for operas, four plays broadcast on the CBC, and translations (with Renate Benson) of Quebec plays. His hobbies include tennis and sailing.