Digging at 60: Archives Conference
About this Event
We are delighted to partner with the National Library of Ireland, Emory Rose Library, and Queen’s University’s Special Collections to host this two-day event Digging at 60: From the Archives.
In 1966, Seamus Heaney published Death of a Naturalist, the collection that would launch his career and establish him firmly in the public eye as a poet of place whose local accents and autobiographical bent marked a new direction in twentieth century Irish poetry. In the same year, Heaney accepted a lectureship at his alma mater, Queen’s University Belfast, and made his first appearance on Ireland’s Late Late show, reading Blackberry Picking and gaining a mass audience thanks to the power of broadcast media.
Few poets have received such close scholarly scrutiny during their lifetimes, and interest in Heaney’s work has not waned in the years since his passing. Many scholars interested in breaking new ground are now returning to archival sources to add context and glean further insight into his prolific career.
To mark this anniversary the Seamus Heaney Centre, in partnership with the National Library of Ireland, Emory Rose Library, and Queen’s University’s Special Collections, are hosting Digging at 60: From the Archives to explore aspects of Heaney’s early career, first collection, and broadcast paratexts.
We hope delegates will be able to attend as much of the programme as possible. Please register for each day that you can attend. For workshops, please register seperately or contact [email protected]
Conference attendance is free, but registration is essential.
All events take place in the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's, 38-40 University Road, unless otherwise stated.
Fri 11 Sep
9.30am - Coffee and registration
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10.00am - Welcome words by Glenn Patterson
10.15-11.30am - Panel 1: Re/Mediations chaired by Rebecca Hunter
James Costello O’Reilly - ‘The Luminous Screen in the Corner: Seamus Heaney and Television, 1968 – 1972'
Michael Kinsella - ‘William Wordsworth Lived Here: Inspiring Envy’
Bronagh McAtasney, Northern Ireland Screen – ‘Death of a Naturalist in Context’
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11.45-1.00pm - Panel 2: Early Influences chaired by Dane Holt
Adam Hanna - ‘Shaping Death of a Naturalist’
Stephen Ennis - ‘Uncollected Heaney’
Selma Mikalsen Kollstrøm - “‘My elevation, my fall’: Heaney’s Antaeus, Second Thoughts, and an Unpublished Draft”
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2.00-3.00pm - My Life in Archives
Stephen Ennis (Harry Ransom Center, Austin) and Crónán Ó Doibhlin (National Libraries of Ireland, Dublin)
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3.15-4.30pm - Panel 3: Beyond the Pastoral chaired by James Costello O’Reilly
Rebecca Hunter - ‘The Ladder of the Future and the Past: Seamus Heaney, Environmental Memory, and Ecological Loss’
Michael Boyle - ‘Thresholds of the Flail and the Spade: Bellaghy and the View from Heaney’s Next Parish.’
Dickon Hall - ‘A Boy on the Train – Image and Text in the Work of T.P. Flanagan’
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4.30-5.00pm - Introducing... Each Time the Song is Sung
Collection highlight with Conall McCauley, SHC Project Assistant
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5.00pm - Drinks Reception
6.00pm - This is it, Yeah: an Archive Project
A celebration for the Seamus Heaney Centre’s first album, with readings from the album and live music from Mark McCambridge, hosted by Glenn Patterson
Sat 12 Sep
10.00am - Coffee and registration
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10.30am - Welcome words
10.45-11.15am - Introducing... Threshold
Collection highlight with Patsy McCartan, Lyric Theatre Heritage Manager
11.15-11.45am - Introducing... Something to Say exhibition
Collection highlight with Ida Boardman, SHC Collections Assistant
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12.00-1.00pm - Keynote: Dr Rosie Lavan
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2.00-3.00pm - Something to Write Home About: producing poetry
Anna Carragher, Catherine Gifford, and Michael Hewitt, chaired by Glenn Patterson
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3.00-4.30pm - Workshops: free, booking essential if conference delegates plan to attend either workshop, please contact [email protected]
The Alternative Archive: Zine Workshop, led by Marcella McSweeney
In the Digital Film Archives, film/collage workshop, led by Vincent Kinnaird (Notasuch Films) and Conall McCauley
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4.30-5.30pm - Screening of Hammond: Duais An Dorais
Queen's Film Theatre
A special screening in the Queen’s Film Theatre, presented in association with DoubleBand. Those registered for this day of the conference can attend the screening for free. Others can purchase a ticket via the QFT website.
We encourage participants and attendees to visit our conference partner sites and sources as listed below.
- National Library of Ireland, Dublin (Seamus Heaney Literary Papers – including early drafts of all his poetry collections, and some of his prose writing). ContactCrónánÓ Doibhlin, [email protected].
- Emory University, Georgia, US (letters, poems, recordings of lectures, physical artefacts)
- Queen's University, Belfast - Seamus Heaney Centre (Broadcast archive of media appearances TV and Radio). Contact Patricia Malone, [email protected].
- Queen's University, Belfast - Special Collections (Beowulf Manuscript collections and student notebooks). Contact Laura Caskey, [email protected].
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
