‘The Bookcase’: Seamus Heaney’s Favourite Reads

Seamus Heaney was profoundly shaped by the writers who came before him, literary giants, poets, and contemporaries, whose influence echoes widely throughout his work. He always made sure to celebrate these figures: in the acknowledgements to his books, in poems dedicated to those he admired, and in countless interviews he gave during his lifetime. In one such interview, before his death in 2013, he compiled a list of the seven most important books that defined the seven decades of his life prior. 

Join us as we trace Heaney’s life through the books he chose to define it: from the childhood reads that ignited his young imagination in rural Co. Derry, to the first volumes of poetry that inspired him to become a poet, to the comfort reading he returned to while recovering from the stroke he suffered later in life. We will embark upon a literary odyssey that not only offers exciting recommendations for your next read but also sheds light on the influences behind the man who has influenced so many of us. 

Discover your favourite author’s favourite authors at Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again on Saturday 11th July at 2 pm.