On Seamus Heaney

Professor R. F. Foster joins Catherine Heaney to discuss his book 'On Seamus Heaney'. Introduced by His Excellency, Adrian O'Neill, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom. Recorded 8 October 2020 at the Seamus Heaney Library in the Bloomsbury Hotel, London. R. F. Foster is the Vice President of the Irish Literary Society, Seamus Heaney was our President for many years up to his death in 2013. Foster's book 'On Heaney' is published by Princeton University Press: press.princeton.edu/books/har...
0:00 - Ambassador O'Neill introduces discussion.
4:19 - Roy Foster on the form of his book.
6:08 - Living and archival sources.
8:00 - Biography in literary text
9:50 - Good fortune.
12:30 - Catherine Heaney reads 'The Skylight'.
14:20 - 'Stepping Stones' and autobiography.
17:50 - Speaking for the tribe.
23:20 - Early life and work.
28:30 - Yeats as an example.
34:10 - Recognition.
35:30 - On evasion: Wicklow, Carson...
40:50 - North.
42:20 - On the English tradition.
45:30 - London, The Bloomsbury and the underground.
48:20 - Roy Foster reads 'Route 101'.
51:40 - End.

[@johnclemo4152]

The union of these erudite & informed voices, engaging in their own 'digging' from their unique perspectives, sound out clearly, assuredly & powerfully in this enjoyable & revealing exchange. I anticipate the book with excitement, safe in the knowledge that Foster will have quarried thoroughly and forged out something of a 'memory harbour' of Heaney's own, from where the insight into the great man's life & work can set sail and enrich us all.

[@conalcochranh3274]

The following poem is dedicated to the memory of Seamus Heaney:
Dorothy; pigtails and ruby slippers,
she trims an emerald hedge
with the Wizard's token clippers.
Dorothy's farm
and the perfect summer at its zenith;
a welcome sublime;
delightful birdsong with...
a sporadic tinkle of wind-chime.
Suddenly, the girl's clad with distress;
points toward the yard and yells:
"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!"
By the barn door stands a young boy;
ten and not much more.
He says, ever so sweetly; almost in song:
"Swisser Swatter! Swisser Swatter!
Like the black between the stars; it doesn't matter!"
Low and behold; it's Seamus Heaney;
drowning little kittens in a bucket of water.
He soon finds his temple in Dorothy's shade,
her conscience hollow and eyes ablaze.
She looks upon the fur afloat on the water,
and says: "Little boy! Little boy! A poet should know better!
And what's good for the goose is also good for the..."
Oh, the horror! The horror!
-Back From Oz
by Conal Cochran

[@noraconnolly2781]

A compelling and valuable presentation bringing light and life to the memory of Seamus Heaney.

[@conalcochranh3274]

The following poem is dedicated to the memory of Seamus Heaney:
Dorothy; pigtails and ruby slippers,
she trims an emerald hedge
with the Wizard's token clippers.
Dorothy's farm
and the perfect summer at its zenith;
a welcome sublime;
delightful birdsong with...
a sporadic tinkle of wind-chime.
Suddenly, the girl's clad with distress;
points toward the yard and yells:
"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!"
By the barn door stands a young boy;
ten and not much more.
He says, ever so sweetly; almost in song:
"Swisser Swatter! Swisser Swatter!
Like the black between the stars; it doesn't matter!"
Low and behold; it's Seamus Heaney;
drowning little kittens in a bucket of water.
He soon finds his temple in Dorothy's shade,
her conscience hollow and eyes ablaze.
She looks upon the fur afloat on the water,
and says: "Little boy! Little boy! A poet should know better!
And what's good for the goose is also good for the..."
Oh, the horror! The horror!
-Back From Oz
by Conal Cochran

[@debracraine9350]

A lovely presentation. Thank you

[@barrywhite9114]

Caleen Kelly….Where are you? Barry White.
Sumter South Carolina😊❤

[@genevievebahrenburg]

Love Seamus Heaney Biden Harris obama i need to come to wh to speaking you - in the interim google Images Biden bidunity

[@jonharrison9222]

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