Not so long ago, the country mourned the death of one its shining stars: Seamus Heaney. Now, the National Library of Ireland will offer the chance to explore Heaney’s life through its latest exhibition. “Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again” opens on July 6th – the first exhibition to be housed at the new Bank of Ireland Cultural and Heritage Centre in College Green – and will run for three years. Entry is free, although eager visitors are advised to book a free ticket in advance if they’re planning to attend on the opening weekend, as demand is set to be high. If you’re trying to organise an exhibition on a budget, take a look at exhibition trailer hire.
Featuring Heaney’s original manuscripts as well as letters, unpublished works, diary entries, photographs, notebooks and multimedia recordings, the exhibition is the result of a partnership between Bank of Ireland, the National Library and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The exhibition promises to take the visitor on a multisensory journey from Heaney’s origins through his remarkable poetic career.
Heaney’s son, Mick Heaney, attended the exhibition announcement in 2015 and expressed his family’s delight at the news. “I’m delighted at the news that the National Library is organising an exhibition on my father’s work and life and that it will be the inaugural show at this new cultural space in one of Dublin’s most famous buildings”, he said at the time.
Bank of Ireland announced in February 2014 that it would make public exhibition space available to the state for a period of ten years. The College Green building is recognised as one of Dublin’s most important heritage buildings, playing a significant role in the history of Ireland. It will continue to be used for the staging of exhibitions and other cultural events that will be open to the public.
“Listen Now Again” was curated by Prof Geraldine Higgins, the Director of Irish Studies at Emory University, and designed by Ralph Appelbaum and Associates. Higgins also curated Emory’s highly praised exhibition, “Seamus Heaney: The Music of What Happens”, in 2014.
