{"id":12291,"date":"2016-08-18T15:12:28","date_gmt":"2016-08-18T14:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=12291"},"modified":"2016-08-18T15:37:33","modified_gmt":"2016-08-18T14:37:33","slug":"the-poetry-house-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2016\/08\/the-poetry-house-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Bellaghy to Remember its most Famous Son at The Poetry House 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

The village of Bellaghy will come to life this Friday 26th<\/sup> August in and around Bellaghy Bawn to honour and celebrate the life of the great Seamus Heaney.<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a>Seamus, who grew up in Bellaghy and whose work was influenced by the spaces, people and places of his childhood, is also buried in the village and this event will recall the poet on the third anniversary of his passing.<\/p>\n

It is also 50 years ago this year that Seamus\u2019 first collection of poems was published by Faber & Faber and that body of work, \u2018Death of a Naturalist\u2019, will be celebrated throughout the event.<\/p>\n

Poetic Gathering<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Poets from across Ireland will attend the event to both honour Seamus and to recall his seminal first collection that gave us poems such as \u2018Blackberry Picking\u2019, \u2018Digging\u2019 and \u2018Mid Term Break\u2019. Death of a Naturalist received the\u00a0Cholmondeley Award<\/a>, the\u00a0Gregory Award<\/a>, the\u00a0Somerset Maugham Award<\/a>, and the\u00a0Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Death of a Naturalist is largely concerned with childhood experiences and the formulation of adult identities, family relationships, and rural life. It is these themes that will inspire a day long series of cultural events at the Bawn with music, dance, recital, film and broadcast.<\/p>\n

Poets already signed up to come along are Mel McMahon, Moyrah Donaldson, Colin Dardis and Geraldine O\u2019Kane who will be among a dozen or so established writers coming to the event. Colin Dardis will also host Bellaghy\u2019s first ever Poetry Slam in the Bawn at 6.00p,m that evening, so if you\u2019re a fledgling writer or have an unpublished poem you\u2019d like to share with the world, then do join in!<\/p>\n

The day will also feature traditional music sessions, acrylic art workshops, creative writing workshops and art exhibitions. Foodies can enjoy fresh Lough Neagh eel and pollan and delicious buffalo burgers throughout the day. Further details on The Poetry House 2016 Facebook Page.<\/p>\n