Seamus Heaney Irish Poet : Accommodation for fans of Seamus Heaney Poetry Ireland

Seamus Heaney Irish Poet : Laurel Villa Guest House is the ideal accommodation for enthusiasts and fans of Seamus Heaney and his Poetry : tours of the locations mentioned in his writing, exhibition of his work and poetry readings

If you have an interest in Seamus Heaney and Irish writers or poetry you have come to the right place. Whether you are a Seamus Heaney enthusiast or someone who is just interested in finding out a bit more about him and the area he came from … then Laurel Villa Guest House is the ideal accommodation for you!

Seamus Heaney was born in 1939 at Mossbawn, a farmhouse outside Castledawson, just three miles from Laurel Villa. He is a poet of International stature who has won numerous awards including the Noble Prize for Literature, the Truman Capote Award and more recently the T.S.Elliot Award. He has written twelve collections of poetry, the most recent of which is District and Circle. He is also a respected critic and essayist and he has written his own versions of Greek plays and the Middle English poem Beowulf. His work has been translated into a number of languages and he himself has provided translations for a number of other writers, including the Gaelic language poet Cathal O Searcaigh. From his very earliest poems, Seamus Heaney has displayed a great pride in and understanding of his homeland and his poems record many lovely childhood memories of it.

To find out more about Seamus Heaney visit www.seamusheaney.org - a website dedicated to Seamus Heaney, his life, his work and his close association with this beautiful part of Northern Ireland.

At Laurel Villa we have a unique Seamus Heaney Exhibition which compliments very nicely the excellent Heaney collection and archive at Bellaghy Bawn nearby. You will be inspired by the rare collection of Heaney First Editions, Heaney Broadsides and Heaney ephemera.

These are available on request and are led by Eugene who is a fully qualified Blue Badge guide. The tours are tailored to meet the requirements of the individual or group. While most are conducted for overnight guests at Laurel Villa we also consider requests from non-resident individuals and groups. Our guided tours take groups to places which have an association with Seamus Heaney’s life and works. Among the recent groups who have benefited from this experience is a group from Aoyama Gakuin University in Japan. Student Asami Oka described it as an unforgettable experience and said that it provided her with a really deep understanding of Heaney’s writings and indeed Heaney country.

Other Guided Tours can be provided upon request. Again these are bespoke tours so each tour is tailored to meet the requirements of you, the customer. We will be happy to provide a price quotation for you.

There are many places of interest in the Magherafelt and Mid Ulster area. Among them are Ardboe High Cross, Springhill House, Antrim Round Tower, Bellaghy Bawn, Tirkane Sweathouse, Tirnony Dolmen, Beaghmore Stone Circles and Church Island.

Slieve Gallen to the west is another place of interest, as it has commanding views over the whole area and it is reputed to be the burial place of Colla, an early King of Ireland. It has been immortalised in the popular local balled Slieve Gallen’s Brae. Seamus Heaney has referred to it as one of the dream boundaries of his imagination.

Seamus Heaney, Irish Poet : Exhibition & Tours