TLRH | Fields of Vision: Seamus Heaney and Society

Recorded September 02, 2020. This special Trinity Long Room Hub online event, which marked the seventh anniversary of the poet’s death (on 30th August, 2013) looked at the work of Seamus Heaney through five images which reflect his preoccupations and help us to understand his achievement in poetry. These images, were discussed by two leading scholars of Heaney’s work, Rosie Lavan and Chris Morash, evoke different moments in his career, from his early appearance in Vogue magazine to his humane meditations on the history of violence prompted by world events. Accompanied by selections from his poetry and prose read by the distinguished actor Adrian Dunbar, they also shed light on the influences and experiences – both public and private – which shaped Heaney’s imagination. The event also marked the launch of Seamus Heaney and Society, by Rosie Lavan. Published in 2020 by Oxford University Press, this important new study discusses how the poet was shaped by his work as a teacher, lecturer, critic, and public figure. Learn more at: https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/