Talk:Seamus Heaney

Seamus Heaney is IRISH
Seamus Heaney is Irish not British, he always refered to himself as being Irish, and was an Irish nationalist.--padraig3uk 13:59, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

There's an interesting article by Fionnuala O Connor in today's Irish Times (page14). She says that in his recent "Stepping Stones", Seamus jokes that his passport "wasn't actually green" until he moved south to live in 1972. Before that he had a British passport. When he needed a passport in a hurry fifty years ago, Dublin "wasn't even thought about". But she concludes that now, "someone from Heaney's background today would unthinkingly want their first passport to be Irish". Millbanks (talk) 17:17, 8 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Indeed. Here's a link to the article in question: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/seamus-heaney-if-i-described-myself-as-an-ulsterman-i-d-have-thought-i-was-selling-a-bit-of-my-birthright-1.2077002 —Moxfyre (ǝɹʎℲxoɯ &#124; contrib) 17:00, 3 January 2023 (UTC)

I am sorry to contradict - but the facts seem clear: Seamus Heaney was born and lived his early life in the United Kingdom (ie. Northern Ireland). Self-reference has nothing to do with it, people don't choose their nationalities.


 * 'People don't chose their nationalities?'. That's obviously a very silly comment in relation to the North of Ireland. Belfast Agreement states citizens of the North can claim Irish or British citizenship.--Play Brian Moore 19:26, 21 March 2007 (UTC)


 * I'm sorry but they do in the north, therefore he's Irish. Derry Boi 11:38, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Obviously people have different feelings about what they call themselves. Seamus Heaney does, I believe have an Irish passport so there is not debate there. He is, of course, Northern Irish too. I think he has publicly stated that he is not British, though this doesn't mean that he techincally isn't.
 * Technically my arse. LEGALLY, citizens of the North have the right to claim Irish, British or both citizenships. Just because the territory is currently british occupied does not mean that the ancestral history of half the population is overwritten. you cant just stamp "british" over things that arent british. have you not learned anything from the troubles you moron? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.71.70.39 (talk) 17:10, 11 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh dear, why is it that the "Oirish" brigade seems to have literacy problems - in marked contrast to Séamus Heaney? I've met Mr Heaney, and yes, he is a Nationalist and a Roman Catholic. He considers himself an Irishman but he is not anti-Protestant. He is an extremely cultured and well educated man, happy to be an expert on Anglo-Saxon and an Oxford Professor without betraying his Irish roots. He is not to be lumped in with Peter O'Toole, Shane MacGowan and others of that ilk.

As for your comment about the north of Ireland being currently "british (sic) occupied", I note that your anonymous note was written in March 2008. Precisely which British are occupying the province now? The Unionists? Millbanks (talk) 14:45, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

PS Have you tried contacting NALA? Millbanks (talk) 14:49, 17 April 2008 (UTC)


 * As for the Irish version of his name, unless there is some source that he has himself used that version then it must be removed. NotMuchToSay 13:09, 25 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes, this should be done in general for all "Irish names" on Wikipedia; unless there is proof that he has used that translation himself it should not be included. Demiurge 13:14, 25 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Some of you need to look into the terms of the Good Friday Agreement Vintagekits 14:01, 25 November 2006 (UTC)


 * The Belfast Agreement is irrelevant, being a multi-party political arrangement. It has no bearing whatsoever on an encyclopedia save that an encyclopedia may include an article on it. -- Mal 21:07, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

Daily Telegraph 13/9/07 "Heaney was born into a Catholic, nationalist family in Northern Ireland - and once objected to inclusion in a book of British poets with the warning lines: 'Be advised, my passport's green/ No glass of ours was ever raised/ To toast the Queen' Cooke (talk) 11:34, 25 January 2008 (UTC)

I'm sure that's correct, but in an edition of The Irish Times last month I saw a picture of a smiling Séamus Heaney being introduced to an equally smiling Queen Elizabeth II at a reception at Queen's University, Belfast. Whether there was a loyal toast at the subsequent lunch and whether Mr Heaney raised his glass, I don't know. I wasn't there. Millbanks (talk) 08:32, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

In the interview in today's Irish Times (see above), Séamus Heaney says that he felt more "awkward than indignant" about being included in the list of British poets. He adds that he "didn't feel like putting a spring into the nationalistic step of either side"
 * I understand the sentiments of 'be advised, my passport's green' and clearly SH chose both to identify with (and finally choose a passport from, and a house in) 'the South', however just on the informative level, can not the fuller picture of birth, citizenship and choices be given. He clearly always was 'Irish' in the sense that it means a of people, and if it means born on that island, but not so always in the sense of citizenship. (ps … I once had the pleasure of sitting by SH in a bar for an hour, a gentler, warmer, friendlier man would be difficult to imagine). Pincrete (talk) 16:08, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

Page blanked - see Copyright problems/2021 May 27
Johnbod (talk) 03:04, 31 May 2021 (UTC)

YouTube as a source
Regardless of whether YouTube is or is not “a strong source”, the plain facts are (1) that the contents of this video clip are self-evidently authentic – only a conspiracy theorist would doubt them; (2) that while links to YouTube sometimes fail to produce the sought-for results because of deletion or removal by the provider, links even to sources such as the BBC and Oxford University have also in my experience done this; (3) the most one can aim for at the time of citing a weblink, is that (a) the link is still operating, and (b) that the resulting content accurately reflects what it purports to. This link fulfils both these criteria, and I believe users should have the possibility of viewing the content.

As a precaution in case the YouTube link fails, and as a courtesy to the other editor, I have not undone the link that was used to replace mine. If my reinstatement is deleted, I shall seek mediation, much as I would prefer to spend my time doing Wikipedia editing more creatively.CWO (talk) 23:32, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

New book of letters
There is a new book of Heaney's letters that I just ordered. I'm curious if it should go into the section of his works or in the section on his legacy. Does anyone have any thoughts? https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/08/the-letters-of-seamus-heaney-review-amazing-grace — Zujine |talk 15:36, 12 November 2023 (UTC)

Hi @Martinevans123, can you explain why you "found those quite useful"? MOS:INFOBOXPURPOSE says, "The less information it contains, the more effectively it serves that purpose, allowing readers to identify key facts at a glance." This article has "publications" and "prizes and honours" sections, which are enough imo. Thedarkknightli (talk) 11:07, 29 February 2024 (UTC)


 * Hi Thedarkknightli. As with many other bio articles, they gave me quick access to his major publications and honours, especially as they are all notable i.e. have their own article linked. Sorry if that's just a subjective personal opinion that can't counter the objective rules for writer infoboxes. But looking at the infobox template, don't see any advice on when to not include Notable works or Notable awards. So maybe that's all purely subjective too? I'd suggest that Notable works might be more valuable than Notable awards there. Also, as I suggested in my edit summary, collapsing a list might be a good way of keeping the box shorter. If you have very strong views on this, I'll not revert you again. Martinevans123 (talk) 11:29, 29 February 2024 (UTC)


 * I agree that the info is useful for one to get a sense of who Heany was at a glance. I don't see a problem with including the list. It is courteous to discuss and conclude a disputed change before deleting it. And also to use edit summaries. Anna (talk) 02:20, 1 March 2024 (UTC)
 * Sorry for the late reply, guys. Have we reached a consensus on whether Heaney's notable works should be kept in the infobox? Thedarkknightli (talk) 01:28, 9 March 2024 (UTC)
 * I'd be against it my self; who should choose, and the number we include implies a value judgement. Ceoil (talk) 01:44, 9 March 2024 (UTC)

Yes, add the detail into the info box. Anna (talk) 21:06, 9 March 2024 (UTC)


 * So, shall we take the issue to WP:DRN? Thedarkknightli (talk) 22:49, 13 March 2024 (UTC)


 * Only if anyone seriously objects to adding the bits in. I would imagine people have better things to do. Anna (talk) 02:09, 14 March 2024 (UTC)
 * To note, this was resolved by this agreed edit Ceoil (talk) 23:03, 23 March 2024 (UTC)