'Her Breath in Mine' | The Women of Seamus Heaney's Poetry
Laura Wilson (2011)
“I remembered her head bent toward my head,
Her breath in mine, our fluent dipping knives –
Never closer the whole rest of our lives.”
Celebrate International Women’s Day at Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again with a special event exploring the extraordinary women who shaped Seamus Heaney’s life, imagination and poetry.
This talk highlights the women who raised, supported, and inspired Heaney, revealing how their influence echoes through some of his most powerful work. We’ll explore the figure of the woman in Heaney’s poetry—as mother, lover, daughter and allegory—and uncover how these poetic portraits connect with the real women who were central to his world, as well as his idea of ‘womanhood’.
By placing life and literature side by side, the talk will shed light on Heaney’s evolving understanding of femininity, resilience, and the experiences of women in rural Catholic Ireland and the changing modern landscape.
Join us for an uplifting, thought‑provoking celebration of women, and the resounding impact of womanhood and femininity on one of Ireland’s most cherished poets.
