Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

[Padraig]

I'm going to have to read it again.

I'm still reading it, Global. It's hard going.

In the meantime here is some news about the Centre in Bellaghy. When I was up there (or is it down there?) last Summer, building was still going on. You should include a visit next time you are over here ( or is it across?)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36307870

I'll tack this on for a bonus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K2XRP4l6Rk

[Padraig]

This morning I travelled to Bellaghy where I visited Heaney's grave - today is the third anniversary of his death. There was noone there but me. I read a poem or two from The Spirit Level, tried to remember the words of the Angelus as the church bell tolled at noon, and sat down for a moment at the graveside with my feet in the gravel path.

So walk on air against your better judgement *(The inscription on the gravestone.)
Establishing yourself somewhere in between
Those solid batches mixed with grey cement
And a tune called 'The Gravel Walks' that conjures green.

The Spirit Level 1996

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ_Q-RGQDzI

[Padraig]

Today I received details of the opening week end events.

http://www.seamusheaneyhome.com/news/full-programme-released-for-seamus-heaney-homeplac/

For information only.(nudge nudge )

[french frank]

This morning I travelled to Bellaghy where I visited Heaney's grave - today is the third anniversary of his death. There was noone there but me. I read a poem or two from The Spirit Level, tried to remember the words of the Angelus as the church bell tolled at noon, and sat down for a moment at the graveside with my feet in the gravel path.

So walk on air against your better judgement *(The inscription on the gravestone.)
Establishing yourself somewhere in between
Those solid batches mixed with grey cement
And a tune called 'The Gravel Walks' that conjures green.

The Spirit Level 1996

A special, cherishable interlude, Padraig - between the before and after. Like David Jones's In Parenthesis.

[johncorrigan]

This morning I travelled to Bellaghy where I visited Heaney's grave - today is the third anniversary of his death. There was noone there but me. I read a poem or two from The Spirit Level, tried to remember the words of the Angelus as the church bell tolled at noon, and sat down for a moment at the graveside with my feet in the gravel path.

So walk on air against your better judgement *(The inscription on the gravestone.)
Establishing yourself somewhere in between
Those solid batches mixed with grey cement
And a tune called 'The Gravel Walks' that conjures green.

The Spirit Level 1996

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ_Q-RGQDzI

Evocative as ever you are, Padraig! Beautiful post. Thank you for that; and a fine young band to go with it.

[Globaltruth]

Today I received details of the opening week end events.

http://www.seamusheaneyhome.com/news/full-programme-released-for-seamus-heaney-homeplac/

For information only.(nudge nudge )

and here's a

nudge nudge

for you...

http://www.seamusheaneyhome.com/my-seamus-heaney/

there's only a couple of entries there currently.

and, I agree with the previous posters, 'thank you for sharing' sounds a little trite, but is meant sincerely.

After thinking that Bellaghy is too far off our usual West Coast track I'm now thinking we should make a special detour next time.
Or else we never will.

[Padraig]

Thank you all for your too kind remarks.

Global, I am glad you felt the slight nudge I aimed. It would be great if you did make a detour. Let me know if you do.

Regarding your own nudge to me, I did not feel a thing, I'm afraid. To be honest, writing on this MB is as far as I am prepared to go and even that is a bit far. I'll speak to people in Bellaghy when I'm there, and I already have to townspeople, but ......I'll think about it later.

[Padraig]

Mossbawn or Game of Thrones?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37390499

[Padraig]

The programme of events starting next weekend in Bellaghy:

https://seamusheaneyhome.ticketsolve.com/#/shows

I've booked for half a dozen or so.
I'm on the waiting list for the sold out international traditional music concert, The Given Note.

In addition, after the celebratory opening weekend there is a monthly series devoted to the 12 poetry collections, 1966 - 2010. I might have a look at some of those.

[Globaltruth]

The programme of events starting next weekend in Bellaghy:

https://seamusheaneyhome.ticketsolve.com/#/shows

I've booked for half a dozen or so.
I'm on the waiting list for the sold out international traditional music concert, The Given Note.

In addition, after the celebratory opening weekend there is a monthly series devoted to the 12 poetry collections, 1966 - 2010. I might have a look at some of those.

I'm sure you've seen this, written by his son Mick
Seamus Heaney: A fitting home for a much-loved poet

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37439655

But just in case.

[Padraig]

I'm sure you've seen this, written by his son Mick

Thank you Global. No, I had not seen it.

[Padraig]

I was a bit brief there, Global. Sorry.
I'm reading too many Heaney poems!
Here's one which might please certain grammarians.... or not.

No.4 of 'Clearances'.

Fear of affectation made her affect
Inadequacy whenever it came to
Pronouncing words 'beyond her'. Bertold Brek.
She'd manage something hampered and askew
Every time, as if she might betray
The hampered and inadequate by too
Well-adjusted a vocabulary.
With more challenge than pride, she'd tell me, 'You
Know all them things.' So I governed my tongue
In front of her, a genuinely well-
Adjusted adequate betrayal
Of what I knew better. I'd naw and aye
And decently relapse into the wrong
Grammar which kept us allied and at bay.

Seamus Heaney The Haw Lantern 1987

[Globaltruth]

Piece about Bellaghy

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/02/seamus-heaney-homeplace-review-bellaghy-co-down?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

can it be compared with
https://yeatsthoorballylee.org/ ?

Which we stumbled onto one time, the usual combination of ignorance and chance.

[johncorrigan]

http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...e_iOSApp_Other

can it be compared with
https://yeatsthoorballylee.org/ ?

Which we stumbled onto one time, the usual combination of ignorance and chance.

One day a visit, Padraig. Thanks as always.
Talking of chancing, I came on Poetry Please today celebrating the 50th Anniversary of 'Death of a Naturalist'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07wnj7w

[Padraig]

Global and John, thank you for those.

In no particular order -
I think the Yeats centre has established a prestigious reputation to which Heaney himself has made a contribution. Bellaghy has some distance to go!

I did not read the Observer article until your post, Global, as I was away all day Saturday and Sunday in...Bellaghy. The faint-praiseworthiness of its tone I excuse on the grounds that Rachel was reviewing an empty building, though she did have some understandable reservations: it's an ambitious project. I, on the other hand, experienced a centre buzzing with activity; met people I used to know; saw ( from a distance) all the family members; toured and examined many of the exhibits on display and listened to SH reading some of his poems via an electronic gadget I could make to work, and attended in the Helicon a number of poetry and music events. Readers and speakers included Michael Longley, Tom Paulin and Marie Heaney. The highlights for me were the dramatic reading of Beowulf by a trio of Scottish women; and the performance of the Bach Cello Suites, 1 2 & 3 interspersed with poems read by Fiona Shaw.

I listened to your Roger McGough Radio 4 programme, John. Very enjoyable and very sad. Death of a Naturalist contains those early poems that delighted so many people, and still do. It was nice too, to hear the Bellaghy accent, not just Seamus's.
As a final comment, the last poem in that book, Personal Helicon, was requested by a listener. It was a poem dedicated to Michael Longley. It was also the first poem read in one of the events I attended. It was read by Michael Longley.
(I bought his Collected Poems later.)