Seamus Heaney Literary Papers,

1963-2010

The Seamus Heaney Literary Papers consist for the most part of literary drafts of Heaney's poetry, prose criticism, verse translations and drama, from his associations to the Belfast Group in the early 1960's, the publication of his first collection 'Death of a Naturalist' (1966), through to his 2010 poetry collection 'Human Chain'. Drafts of all his major poetry collections are represented, alongside his prose writings (reviews, newspaper articles and critical essays and lectures, some of which were later collected in 'The Government of the Tongue' and 'The Redress of Poetry'), his translations of the work of poets Brian Merriman, Jan Kochanowski, Leos Janacek and Robert Henryson and his dramatic works 'The Cure at Troy' and 'The Burial at Thebes'. Among the drafts is related documentation which sheds light on his collaborations with both English National Opera and the Abbey Theatre, his interaction with publishers in the UK, Ireland and America and his schedule of public appearances. There is, in addition, fragmentary correspondence, covering the years 1963 to 2008. The literary drafts themselves include extensive manuscript and typescript worksheets, often heavily annotated, and a number of notebooks which contain manuscript drafts, alongside occasional diary entries and his jottings in which he reflects on the origins and progress of his creative ideas.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Creator: Heaney, Seamus, 1939-2013
Format: Manuscript
Language:English
Subjects:
Notes:The cataloguing archivist has sought to maintain the original order in which the collection was organised by its creator. This means that where successive drafts of poetry collections were filed as distinct items by Seamus Heaney, they have been maintained as distinct items. In addition any titles on the original files, folders or envelopes in which the papers were housed have been noted in the catalogue. Many of the drafts are undated, but where a worksheet or notebook has been dated this information has been noted in the catalogue.

Associated Materials: Department of Manuscripts, National Library of Ireland. There are additional Seamus Heaney manuscripts held in the Department of Manuscripts (MS 41,932/1-3). This consists of manuscript and typescript drafts of the poem 'Sweeney Astray', with additional notes on early Irish poetry, (call number MS 41,932/1-3); the Haberer Heaney Collection, (call number MS 49,601/1-28) and the McCabe Heaney Collection (call number MS 49,602/1-55)

Associated Materials: Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Library, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. Seamus Heaney Papers, 1951-2004;

Associated Materials: Queen's University Library, Belfast. Seamus Heaney Beowulf Papers;

Physical description: 19 boxes

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Arrangement:Fonds
I. Poetry (1963-2010). II. Prose (1970-2002). III. Verse Translations (1979-1999). IV. Drama (1990-2004). V. Other Papers.
Published / Created: 1963-2010
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I.vii.3. Manuscript and typescript drafts of poems for possible inclusion in 'Field Work',

ca. 1975.
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Bibliographic Details
In Collection: Seamus Heaney Literary Papers, 1963-2010
Description:Includes a manuscript draft of the contents page, and manuscript and typescript worksheets containing drafts of the poems 'The Seals' (alternatively titled in file as 'The Singer's House'), 'The Badgers', 'Leavings', 'Song of Erne' (collected as 'At the Water's Edge'), 'Glanmore Sonnets', 'Polder', 'A Dream of Jealousy', 'The Guttural Muse', 'An Album for Sean Armstrong' (collected as 'A Poscard from North Antrim), 'Elegy' (fragment), 'Triptych', 'Oysters' (variant title in file 'The Marriage Feast'), 'An Afterwards', 'In Memoriam Francis Ledwidge' (variant titled in file 'At the Portstewart War Memorial;), 'Field Work' (Sections I, II and IV), 'Homecomings' , 'The Toome Road', 'September Song', 'In Memoriam Sean O'Riada', 'The Harvest Bow' (photocopy of t.s. original), 'The Skunk', 'Casulty' (photocopy of t.s. original), 'The Otter', 'Song' (variant title in file 'King's Island'), 'Alba', 'The Strand at Lough Beg', 'Ugolino', 'The Singer's House', 'A Drink of Water', 'High Summer' and 'The Poet Crowned'.
Also included is the title and dedication page to 'Glanmore Sonnets', first published in 1977.
Main Creator: Heaney, Seamus, 1939-2013
Extent:198 pages; 4 folders.
Format:Manuscript
Call Number: MS 49,493/49 (Manuscripts Reading Room)
Rights:Subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 2000, the papers in this collection are in copyright. It is necessary to obtain the express permission of the copyright owner before reproducing any material from this collection.