Marking the 60th anniversary of Death of a Naturalist, we are hosting a conference to explore aspects of Heaney’s early career.

We are delighted to partner with the National Library of Ireland, Emory Rose Library, and Queen’s University’s Special Collections to host this two-day event Digging at 60: From the Archives.

In 1966, Seamus Heaney published Death of a Naturalist, the collection that would launch his career and establish him firmly in the public eye as a poet of place whose local accents and autobiographical bent marked a new direction in twentieth century Irish poetry. In the same year, Heaney accepted a lectureship at his alma mater, Queen’s University Belfast, and made his first appearance on Ireland’s Late Late show, reading Blackberry Picking and gaining a mass audience thanks to the power of broadcast media.

Few poets have received such close scholarly scrutiny during their lifetimes, and interest in Heaney’s work has not waned in the years since his passing. Many scholars interested in breaking new ground are now returning to archival sources to add context and glean further insight into his prolific career.

We encourage participants and attendees to visit our conference partner sites and sources as listed below.

National Library of Ireland, Dublin (Seamus Heaney Literary Papers – including early drafts of all his poetry collections, and some of his prose writing). ContactCrónánÓ Doibhlin, codoibhlin@nli.ie.

Emory University, Georgia, US (letters, poems, recordings of lectures, physical artefacts)

Queen's University, Belfast - Seamus Heaney Centre (Broadcast archive of media appearances TV and Radio). Contact Patricia Malone, p.malone@qub.ac.uk.

Queen's University, Belfast - Special Collections (Beowulf Manuscript collections and student notebooks). Contact Laura Caskey, l.caskey@qub.ac.uk.

Fri 11 Sep

9.30am - Coffee and registration

10.00am - Welcome words by Professor Glenn Patterson

10.15-11.30am - Panel 1: Re/Mediations

James Costello O’Reilly - ‘The Luminous Screen in the Corner: Seamus Heaney and Television, 1968 – 1972

'Michael Kinsella - ‘William Wordsworth Lived Here: Inspiring Envy’Bronagh McAtasney, Northern Ireland Screen

11.45-1.00pm - Panel 2: Early Influences, chaired by Dane Holt

Adam Hanna - ‘Shaping Death of a Naturalist’ Stephen Ennis - ‘Uncollected Heaney’

Selma Mikalsen Kollstrøm - “‘My elevation, my fall’: Heaney’s Antaeus, Second Thoughts, and an Unpublished Draft”

2.00-3.00pm - My Life in Archives

Stephen Ennis (Harry Ransom Center, Austin) and Crónán Ó Doibhlin (National Libraries of Ireland, Dublin)

3.15-4.30pm - Panel 3: Beyond the Pastoral, chaired by James Costello O’Reilly

Rebecca Hunter - ‘The Ladder of the Future and the Past: Seamus Heaney, Environmental Memory, and Ecological Loss’

Michael Boyle - ‘Thresholds of the Flail and the Spade: Bellaghy and the View from Heaney’s Next Parish.’

Dickon Hall - 'A Boy on the Train – Image and Text in the Work of T.P. Flanagan'

4.30-5.00pm - Introducing... Each Time the Song is SungCollection highlight with Conall McCauley, SHC Project Assistant

5.00pm - Drinks Reception

6.00pm - This is it, Yeah: an Archive ProjectA celebration for the Seamus Heaney Centre’s first album, with readings from the album and live music from Mark McCambridge, hosted by Glenn Patterson

Sat 12 Sep

10.00am - Coffee and registration

10.30am Welcome words

10.45-11.15am Introducing... Threshold Collection highlight with Patsy McCartan, Lyric Theatre Heritage Manager

11.15-11.45am - Introducing... Something to Say exhibitionCollection highlight with Ida Boardman, SHC Collections Assistant

12.00-1.00pm - Keynote: Dr Rosie Lavan

2.00-3.00pm - Something to Write Home About: producing poetry Anna Carragher, Michael Hewitt and Dermot Lavery (Doubleband), chaired by Glenn Patterson

3.00-4.30pm - Workshops: free, booking essential - if conference delegates plan to attend either workshop, please sign up to the signficant eventbrite for the workshop or contact Rachel Brown at r.brown@qub.ac.uk

- The Alternative Archive: Zine Workshop, led by Marcella McSweeney

- Trust Your Voice: In the Digital Film Archives, film/collage workshop, led by Vincent Kinnaird and Conall McCauley

4.30-5.30pm - Screening of Hammond: Duais an Dorais

A special screening in the Queen’s Film Theatre, presented in association with DoubleBand. Those registered for this day of the conference can attend the screening for free. Others can purchase a ticket via the QFT website.

Description supplied by the event organiser.