Join us for our monthly online book club, as we come together to discuss Stepping Stones: Interviews with Seamus Heaney, in honour of what would have been his 87th birthday this April.  

Often described as a ‘book-length portrait’ of the poet, Stepping Stones offers a rare opportunity to hear Heaney speak about his life and work in his own words. Over several years, he responded to hundreds of questions from a fellow poet and close friend, Dennis O’Driscoll, creating a deeply personal memoir structured as a conversation. Moving between memories of his earliest years, reflections on family, politics, and loss, and insights into some of his best-known poems, the book reveals the man behind the fame. If you've ever had a question for one of Ireland's most beloved poets, chances are it is here! 

Whether you’d just like to listen, read your favourite passage, or join the discussion, all are very welcome. 

Enjoy a fascinating journey exploring the highlights of Heaney's archive, from his rural origins through to his remarkable career as a poet

Join us for a collaborative event as Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again welcomes Paolo Viscardi, Keeper of Natural History at the National Museum of Ireland.

Together, we will take a deep dive into the animals that inhabit the poetry of Seamus Heaney. Drawing on examples from some of his most cherished works—including Death of a Naturalist, The Otter, and A Lough Neagh Sequence —sharing captivating insights into Ireland’s native wildlife, the very creatures that inspired these evocative poems. Interwoven with poetry readings, this event explores Heaney’s work in light of the biology behind the animals, creating a rich dialogue between literary experience and scientific understanding. The result is a unique opportunity to encounter Heaney’s work alongside the living world that shaped it. 

Join us as we welcome Dr Paul Cusack, former Principal of the College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens to the Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again exhibition. 

Dr Cusack will explore and share insights to the rich plant life that features throughout Heaney’s work, exploring how Ireland’s flora helped shape some of his most evocative poetry. Woven together with readings of Heaney’s poems, this event brings audiences closer to the natural landscapes that inspired his writing—an invitation to experience the beauty of his words alongside the plants that rooted them. 

Welcome in spring with a relaxed, creative workshop inspired by the poetry of Seamus Heaney! 

Heaney’s work is deeply rooted in the natural world, rich with images of flowers, trees, and the Irish landscape. In this workshop, those images become something you can hold onto. Using dried flowers, lines from his poems, and a touch of creativity, you’ll create a unique floral bookmark to forever hold a place in all your favourite books.

Layer petals with words, preserve a line that stays with you, or respond by drawing your own flowers - there is no right or wrong way to take part, and all materials are provided. 

Come along and leave with something beautiful, handmade, and uniquely your own!

Established by the Dublin Science and Art Museum Act, 1877, the NLI was originally housed at the Royal Dublin Society's premises in Leinster House until the present building at 7/8 Kildare Street was formally opened on 1890.

Discover the history of our beautiful Victorian building on Kildare Street and meet the NLI's Director Dr Audrey Whitty. The guided tour will also visit the magnificent Reading Room and explore our links with some of Ireland’s greatest writers and thinkers.

6–7pm | Entry free but booking required.

Meet in the Front Hall of National Library of Ireland, 7/8 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. For more information regarding accessibility in our buildings please see here.

Interested in digging into the Library’s collections?

Join us for this talk in the NLI's Joly Theatre introducing the Library as a source for research. Whether you plan to do research in one of our reading rooms or remotely from anywhere in the world, this talk will explain the basics of our physical collections and online resources. Learn how to search the Library’s catalogue, how to get a reader’s ticket, how to order material and much more.

Celebrate the decade that followed Live Aid, when the sound and ambition of 1985 continued to echo around the world, all surrounded by the wonderful NLI photographic collection.

Free. Booking essential.