Newcastle University

It is with great sadness that we report the death of the Nobel prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney. Seamus was one of the major poets of the last fifty years, a great exponent and servant of the art, a warm encourager of others, and a man of exemplary courtesy. To many of us he was the much-loved tribal elder of our art. He will be greatly missed. We send our condolences to his wife Marie and the family. The work survives, rich in sound and image, generous in sympathy, triumphantly affirming the importance of poetry to the examined life.

Seamus was also a great friend and supporter of the NCLA. He was a patron from the beginnings of the organization and gave the NCLA's inaugural reading to a packed Newcastle Civic Centre in 2009. He also wrote and donated a new poem, 'Slack'  to mark the occasion and commemorate his family links with the North East. An engraved copy is proudly displayed in the foyer of the School of English at Newcastle University.

A video of Seamus reading at the NCLA Launch event at the Newcastle Civic Centre on 13th October 2009 is available to view at our online archive. Photographs from the event are also available to view here.