[1] During the early '70s (the bloodiest times of all in Northern Ireland), he was the inspiration and leading light for The Resistance Cabaret, a satirical revue combining song, poetry and political comment on 'the troubles' and life in general, written and performed by Simmons and some of his students.
Arguably, Simmons – whose passion for poetry was equaled only by his yearning to make it accessible to all the people – felt most at home in this setting, connecting with an audience that was moved to talk back.
[2] When Simmons returned to Northern Ireland, he took part in The Belfast Group, together with such notables as Michael Longley, Seamus Heaney and Derek Mahon.
Perhaps his best epitaph is his own: "Hiding in humility, In irony, and wit, It would be very hard to prove That Simmons is a shit" He won several prizes for his poetry including the Gregory and Cholmondeley Awards.
In 1970 he founded a new platform for bringing these to a wider audience, the satirical revue – The Resistance Cabaret – with Garvin Crawford, Victor Thompson, David Templeton, Eithne Murphy, Jim Brown, Mike Graves, Jon Marshall and Heather Hutchinson.
His songs, however, continue to challenge and delight appreciative audiences of The Resistance Cabaret around Northern Ireland - most often sung by Garvin Crawford in The Dufferin Arms, Killyleagh.