Seamus Heaney RIP

RachaelVO · 30-08-2013 11:14AM #1

Very sad news one of our most honoured poets, who was compared with WB Yeats has passed away suddenly.

RIP Sir, you left an indelible legend in our literary history.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0830/471228-seamus-heaney/

Gael23 · 30-08-2013 11:14AM

Breaking News that Seamus Heaney has died.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0830/471228-seamus-heaney/

30-08-2013 11:16AM

RIP, Heaney. A great talent that will be sorely missed. But at least he'll live on forever in the Leaving Cert syllabus.

AssaultedPeanut · 30-08-2013 11:17AM

RIP

I was only thinking of him yesterday when my mam text and said she was out picking blackberries. An activity that will forever remind me of his poem.

Aglomerado · 30-08-2013 11:18AM

For sure, he was a major contributor to Irish literary tradition. RIP.

His poem "Mid-Term Break" stayed with me since I first read it at 11. Chilling...

Whatsernamex33 · 30-08-2013 11:18AM

Great man. Will be sadly missed.. One of Ireland's best poets.

Sir Humphrey Appleby · 30-08-2013 11:21AM

A wonderful poet. RIP

ibarelycare · 30-08-2013 11:21AM

RIP

His first poem of his I ever read was Mid Term Break, and it's the saddest poem I've ever read, it still makes me cry.

"A four foot box, a foot for every year."

Alice1 · 30-08-2013 11:22AM

RIP Mr Heaney and sympathies to Marie and the family. Always fondly remembered.

enda1 · 30-08-2013 11:22AM

Ah no, that's terrible.

castletownman · 30-08-2013 11:23AM

RIP. Yet another literary great produced by this small island. Remarkable outlay when you think of it.

Mid-term break was the first poem that really struck a chord with me.

podgemonster · 30-08-2013 11:26AM

castletownman wrote: »

Mid-term break was the first poem that really struck a chord with me.

Same here, does so well to portray the raw pain a family feels following a childs death. Can still recite ever line.

RIP Seamus Heaney

Fowler87 · 30-08-2013 11:26AM

RIP great man

Banjo String · 30-08-2013 11:27AM

He's a native of my home town.

A four foot box, a foot for every year.

RIP Seamus.

NegativeCreep · 30-08-2013 11:29AM

Oh my god what did he die of?

hoodwinked · 30-08-2013 11:31AM

Many english leaving cert students salute him, its down to him i got a C1 in honours!

i owe him one!

Dartz · 30-08-2013 11:31AM

Of being 74 most likely. It's a fair old age to make it to....

Esoteric_ · 30-08-2013 11:32AM

I actually did Mid Term Break as part of an acting exam.

Fantastic poet, he'll be sorely missed.

KKkitty · 30-08-2013 11:32AM

An amazing man. R.I.P.

Judge Roy Bean · 30-08-2013 11:34AM

I was in rehab for a spell, and the great man was in for depression.

He was a true gent, sat with us every morning for breakfast for about a month, we'd consult him when playing Scrabble and weren't too sure of a word.

That's my Heaney story

R.I.P

Mushy · 30-08-2013 11:37AM

I'm not into poetry in the slightest, but the aforementioned Mid-Term Break is one thing I will remember. Lived in my home place, would have seen him a bit when I worked there, a lovely man with respect for everyone.

jester77 · 30-08-2013 11:37AM

RIP, great poet, may the squat pen rest.

Foxhound38 · 30-08-2013 11:38AM

With all the doom and gloom, it is worth reminding ourselves that this country always has produced and still produces people we can all be rightly proud of.

RIP to the man and legend

--Kaiser-- · 30-08-2013 11:39AM

NegativeCreep wrote: »

Oh my god what did he die of?

He died of a Thursday

Ectoplasm · 30-08-2013 11:40AM

Genuinely saddened to hear this. I was only listening to him recently discussing his work on Burial at Thebes, and he was a fascinating speaker. The man was a true literary great whose enthusiasm for, and command of, the written word was incredible. RIP

NegativeCreep · 30-08-2013 11:40AM

They should name that bridge on Marlborough street after him now!

from_atozinc · 30-08-2013 11:41AM

ryanf1 wrote: »

Breaking News that Seamus Heaney has died.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0830/471228-seamus-heaney/

Why did you post this when the OP had already stated that he died in the first post

Autonomous Cowherd · 30-08-2013 11:42AM

I was lucky to attend readings of his several times, and sit afterwards in the pub in his company. His wife always struck me as so beautiful and him as serene and noble. A particular memory I have of him is from the Flat lake Arts festival where he turned up, sort of out of the blue, to do a reading. It was in a marquee. The tent was sparsely populated with a few loiterers ~ there were not that many in attendance at the festival to be honest, as it was in the first year. Then Séamus began to read. His beautiful sonorous voice. And people began to appear. First wandering straggles. Then droves of people. Emerging it seemed to me from the hedgerows and the dusk, thronging into the tent, like people summoned by the Shaman. There was not a whisper, as we pressed together. Total silence. And when at last he read the finishing line of Mid Term Break a wave of emotion coursed through the assembly that was utterly spiritual.
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

byronbay2 · 30-08-2013 11:44AM

NegativeCreep wrote: »

Oh my god what did he die of?

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

He died of a Thursday

A fitting tribute to the native Irish wit of the great man.

Mardy Bum · 30-08-2013 11:45AM

He was the greatest living poet writing in the English language, a Nobel Laureate, a genius and a gentleman.

RIP Seamus.

Aglomerado · 30-08-2013 11:47AM

Autonomous Cowherd wrote: »

I was lucky to attend readings of his several times, and sit afterwards in the pub in his company. His wife always struck me as so beautiful and him as serene and noble. A particular memory I have of him is from the Flat lake Arts festival where he turned up, sort of out of the blue, to do a reading. It was in a marquee. The tent was sparsely populated with a few loiterers ~ there were not that many in attendance at the festival to be honest, as it was in the first year. Then Séamus began to read. His beautiful sonorous voice. And people began to appear. First wandering straggles. Then droves of people. Emerging it seemed to me from the hedgerows and the dusk, thronging into the tent, like people summoned by the Shaman. There was not a whisper, as we pressed together. Total silence. And when at last he read the finishing line of Mid Term Break a wave of emotion coursed through the assembly that was utterly spiritual.
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

That account is poetic in itself.

Seamus Heaney RIP

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