We were a fairly non-political household; my parents were nationalists, of course, but it was not something, as I recall, that was a major area of discussion.

And that particular area was a nationalist enclave, while next door was the parish where the Orange Order was founded; we'd hear the drums on summer evenings.

In this time, which saw the most bitter period of the Troubles, he published the collections Why Brownlee Left (1980) and Quoof (1983).

After leaving the BBC, he taught English and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia and at Caius College and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge,[6][7] where his students included Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) and Giles Foden (Last King of Scotland).

In 1987, Muldoon emigrated to the United States, where he taught in the creative writing program at Princeton.

[6] Muldoon is married to novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz, whom he met at an Arvon writing course.

[6][8] His poetry is known for his difficult, sly, allusive style, casual use of obscure or archaic words, understated wit, punning, and deft technique in meter and slant rhyme.

[9] As Peter Davidson says in The New York Times review of books "Muldoon takes some honest-to-God reading.

He's a riddler, enigmatic, distrustful of appearances, generous in allusion, doubtless a dab hand at crossword puzzles".

Some are stunned by its scope[6][12] and many others, such as John Banville, have professed themselves utterly baffled by it – feeling it to be wilfully obscure.

"[6] Muldoon has contributed the librettos for four operas by Daron Hagen: Shining Brow (1992), Vera of Las Vegas (1996), Bandanna (1998), and The Antient Concert (2005).

His interests have not only included librettos, but rock lyrics as well, penning lines for the band The Handsome Family as well as co-writing the title track of Warren Zevon's album My Ride's Here.

Muldoon also writes lyrics for (and plays "rudimentary" rhythm guitar in) his own Princeton-based rock bands.

Muldoon has also edited a number of anthologies, including The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present by Paul McCartney, published in 2021, written two children's books, translated the work of other authors, performed live at the Poetry Brothel.