Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is great to follow a scholar from the literary capital of the kingdom. I would like to extend a warm welcome to Marie, Brendan Kennelly, David Hanly and the other distinguished guests with us today. It is proper that these tributes are paid to this great poet in this House. I must confess I was never very good at poetry. I always like to read it and to hear it read and that is why it is so good to hear such lovely poetry being read by Members.

It was wonderful to hear the Minister say what happened in Paris and at the event in Rome. I only met the good man once when he handed over that magnificent treasure trove, all those poems, writings and notes which he had boxed so carefully, to the National Library of Ireland. The Minister's idea to have an exhibition in 2015 is very fitting and worthy. Please God that will lead to a magnificent gathering and, in its own way, will spawn further gatherings.

Next Monday night the Minister will be in a famous schoolhouse at Muckross launching another great work on Killarney and Kerry. I will try to be there but I am not sure I can make it. As a great promoter of the arts, formulator of ideas and something of an event organiser over the years, he might suggest at the event in that schoolhouse, which is so representative of schoolhouses in Kerry and throughout the country, that a Heaney commemoration would be held there in due course. It would be a wonderful event. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.