Simon Callow, who was taught by him at Queen's University, Belfast, is talking about him at the very end of Broadcasting House just now, ending with Heaney reading the funeral scene from his translation of Beowulf as he read it at Paul Schofield's funeral.
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54 minutes in:
I do find it quite hard to believe that university students, however uncouth, would throw chalk and paper aeroplanes...Comment
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Callow youth jean? Not Simon of course.
''They extolled his heroic nature and exploits
and gave thanks for his greatness; which was the proper thing
for a man should praise a prince whom he holds dear
and cherish his memory when that moment comes
when he has to be convoyed from his bodily home.''Comment
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And a live broadcast, no less. I'm trying to think whether the UK has had/would have such coverage of the funeral of a writer.Originally posted by Padraig View PostIt isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Well, the Irish love nothing better than a grand funeral, FF. I caught some of it on the television and it was a typically Irish send off, very understated and wholly democratic with President Higgins having to work his way through the press of mourners to offer his condolences to Heaney's widow.
I never met the man but I remember our early years in London (we moved to England when I was nine) when Irish people were still held in the lowest regard and yet there we were in class studying the poetry of this wonderful communicator. He made one brave to take the flak because he was the truth of us and our potential.
Actually, I did sort of meet him once. In fact, he fully threw himself at my feet. Not out of any sense of wonderment though, but only for the sake of an uneven paving stone by All Souls in Langham Place as he was on his way to record the Desert Island Discs I've linked to below. I did however pass a very enjoyable trip to Holyhead on the boat train with Marie and his children who it turned out were pupils of my old Dublin school.
They will be in a very sad way I'm sure for he was took far too quick. Now, I better quit my Zeligesque remembrances and say a small benediction for 'famous Seamus' * with words not of his own but of another poet whom he admired greatly, Patrick Kavanagh.
O commemorate me where there is water
canal water preferably, so stilly
greeny at the heart of summer. Brother
commemorate me thus beautifully.
(from Kavanagh's poem Lines written on a Seat on the Grand Canal, Dublin
* Ireland has always had something of an inclination to begrudgery and so this sobriquet was applied to Heaney by various wags when his poetry started reaching far beyond the shores of Ireland, though it was not applied with any real malice.
Heaney's Desert Island Discs:
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Good post, Shb.
Hadn't heard his DID before - I liked his choices.
If you haven't seen his funeral mass, or only a part of it, you might have missed Paul Muldoon's tribute at the end.
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Like the man his selection (and presentation) was typically understated. The Trout, incidentally, is one of the most frequently chosen Desert Island Discs. Indeed, it appears on my own list. I wonder what it is about a particular piece whereby its appeal spreads so wide.Comment
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Three programmes about Seamus Heaney on last night's Beeb4 schedules. If you can only catch one and haven't seen it before I'd suggest 'Something to Write Home About'. Wonderful.
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I haven't watched it yet, but on Wednesday BBC N. Ireland had a 90 minute programme about Seamus Heaney. Now on iplayer until the 25th
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Well worth a look, both 2 and 4.
I suppose I would say that.
I can't believe he's gone and I'm seeing again people and places from 60 years agoComment
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But why am I told that "for rights reasons" I am only allowed to listen to tiny snatches of each choice? Is this because I'm in Ireland, or do you UK people also hear this proviso?Originally posted by Stillhomewardbound View PostComment
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I didn't hear that. It's 40'55" long and there aren't any gaps. The bit of Beethoven wasn't very long.Originally posted by DublinJimbo View PostIt isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Not purely about Seamus Heaney but on Radio 4 20:00 tonight, a programme about Heaney and Yeats A Terrible Beauty presented by Finlan O'Toole which may be of interest to some
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Certainly more Heaney that Yeats, Anna. Did you catch it?Originally posted by Anna View Post
It was great, though, to hear the Old Celtic Dreamer declaiming his own work.Comment
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