Delight in Derry at the news that Seamus Heaney is to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Irish poet Seamus Heaney for what the Nobel committee described as
Works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past.
In his home place of Derry, the news of Seamus Heaney's win spread like wildfire and his family and friends were eager to pay tribute to the poet.
On hearing the news, his brother Hugh Heaney speaks about the joy and honour his win has brought to Bellaghy in Derry.
Everybody's very proud.
An old school pal from fifty years ago Henry Gribben recalls when he first noticed Seamus’s blossoming literary talents. The two young men of around sixteen were sitting at Seamus Heaney's grandmother’s wake when he produced a poem on a scrap of paper from his pocket.
At that stage, I thought he was daft starting to write poetry.
While Henry Gribben was shocked that his friend was writing poetry, he was amazed by his ability. He believes the award is a recognition of Seamus the poet and the person.
Celebrations were also the order of the day at St Columb’s College in Derry where Seamus Heaney received his secondary education. The school produced his admissions card to show the strong links between Seamus Heaney and the school which continue to this day. Fr John Walsh said that while a student at St Columb’s, Seamus Heaney was awarded as best academic of his year and now he is being given worldwide recognition.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 October 1995. The reporter is Brendan Wright.
