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Tributes to Seamus Heaney, 'greatest Irish poet since Yeats'

The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and President have all issued statements on the death of Seamus He...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.27 30 Aug 2013


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Tributes to Seamus Heaney, &am...

Tributes to Seamus Heaney, 'greatest Irish poet since Yeats'

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.27 30 Aug 2013


Share this article


The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and President have all issued statements on the death of Seamus Heaney.

Heaney is the top-trending topic on Twitter in Ireland, and it's attracted comeent from Japan to Los Angeles.

Political reaction

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The President is leading tributes here - he has called Heaney's contribution to the 'republics of letters, conscience, and humanity' as 'immense'.

The President said "As tributes flow in from around the world, as people recall the extraordinary occasions of the readings and the lectures, we in Ireland will once again get a sense of the depth and range of the contribution of Seamus Heaney to our contemporary world, but what those of us who have had the privilege of his friendship and presence will miss is the extraordinary depth and warmth of his personality."

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has spoken about our 'shocking pride' as a nation to have had an artist so great.

Mr. Kenny said "Seamus Heaney's death brings great sorrow to Ireland, to language and to literature. He is mourned - and deeply - wherever poetry and the world of the spirit are cherished and celebrated.

"For us, Seamus Heaney was the keeper of language, our codes, our essence as a people.

"Today it would take Seamus Heaney himself to describe the depth of his loss to us as a nation.

"We are blessed to call Seamus Heaney our own and thankful for the gift of him in our national life. He belongs with Joyce, Yeats, Shaw and Beckett in the pantheon of our greatest literary exponents."

Seamus Heaney & Taoiseach Enda Kenny last June at The Kennedy homestead in Co. Wexford

Labour Party leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said "Today we have lost a great Irish poet and a great Irishman. I know I speak for the nation when I express my deep sadness at the passing of Seamus Heaney."

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said we've lost one of our best. He described Heaney as "a giant of modern literature who achieved the highest accolades and honours across the globe while never losing his connection to, and love for, the people and places of his native County Derry."

The former Minister for Education added that the fact his poems are 'on the curriculum for school children on both parts of the island is a fitting tribute to the unique role and resonance he had'.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams and the North's first minister Martin McGuinness have both said they are shocked and saddened.

Adams said Heaney is often regarded as the greatest Irish poet since Yeats.

A twitpic from Culture Ireland's feed of Arts minister Jimmy Deenihan & Seamus Heaney

Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan says Seamus Heaney was one of the most important writers of our age, and generous with his time and his talent.

The organisation behind the Nobel prize has tweeted: 

Literary

Arts Council Chairman Pat Moylan described Heaney's work as intelligent, humane and beautiful.

Mr Heaney served as a member of the Arts Council from 1973 to 1978.

The Council's celebration of its bursary award winners on September 12th - which Seamus Heaney was expected to attend - wil now be dedicated to his memory.

Fellow poet Stephen Fry wrote: 

Seamus Heaney's family announced his death after a short illness earlier

Read about his work in human rights

See his life & career In Pictures here

Cover pic via Martin McGuinness on Twitter

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