Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, I had a medical appointment that I had to keep but I will not delay proceedings. I first encountered Seamus Heaney when I was in college in Dublin. I became an immediate admirer of his work and subsequently a teacher of English literature in Kerry. In those days, the mandarins in the Department were very cautious and slow-moving and those who set the curriculum for the leaving certificate were of the opinion that all Irish poetry ceased following the death of W. B. Yeats or Clarke. It was great to be able to bring Heaney into class if nothing else as a counterpoint. It was something the students used to like. We also did so with our neighbouring poets, including the great Brendan Kennelly, who is my near neighbour from Ballylongford and who is here with us today, and the late Michael Hartnett from Abbeyfeale. The students understood Heaney and those two poets immediately. It was different from the set format laid out by the Department.

Seamus Heaney's position in the pantheon of Irish literature is set in stone. To use the words of Yeats, the people will be speaking of him forever. I will not add anything to that other than to sympathise with Marie and his family.

On a parochial note, my wife Madeleine was chairperson of writers' week in Listowel for many years and we got to know Seamus well because he was a great supporter of the writing festival as well as writing festivals all over the country. He never let them down if they asked him to adjudicate or give a reading. He was always available and was a great asset to the festival. I would like to convey the deepest sympathies of the people of Listowel.