A Seamus Heaney Celebration
Join us to celebrate the landmark publication of a book bringing together all of the published work by one of the great poets of the 20th century.
Curated by the National Poetry Library and presented by Faber Poetry Editor, Lavinia Greenlaw, this event sees a line-up of poets read a poem and reflect on the enduring significance and influence of one of the most celebrated, popular and enduring poets in the library’s collection.
Poems by Heaney are read by some of the UK’s most exciting poets, along with their own poetry. Performers include Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Susannah Dickey, Maura Dooley, Zaffar Kunial and Richard Scott.
The Poems of Seamus Heaney is the long-awaited, definitive edition of Seamus Heaney’s poetry. It encompasses all the poems Heaney published in his lifetime as well as the small number that appeared after his death. In addition, the book includes a selection of previously unpublished material.
It is a body of work that, in its entirety, resounds with the ‘lyrical beauty and ethical depth’ cited by the Nobel committee: poems ‘which exalt everyday miracles and the living past.’
Seamus Heaney was born in County Derry in Northern Ireland in 1939. Death of a Naturalist, his first collection, appeared in 1966, and was followed by poetry, criticism and translations which established him as the leading poet of his generation. He died in 2013.
Need to know
For your visit
This event is held at the Purcell Room Southbank Centre
The Purcell Room is located in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, which is open from 90 minutes before events start until they finish. It’s closed at all other times.
Plan your visit
The Purcell Room is an auditorium located within our Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.