“World-renowned poet and Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney died at age 74 in his native Ireland after a brief illness.

“Jeffrey Brown looks back on an interview he did with the poet two years ago where he reflected on his life and work. He shares an excerpt of Heaney reading a section from his poem, “Album”.” – YT

“Born and raised in Northern Ireland, Heaney was renowned for his mastery of Irish and Gaelic sources, as well as Old English, the Anglo-Saxon tongue from which he translated in 1999 a much-praised version of the medieval epic Beowulf.

“Although wary of being compared to Yeats – who died in 1939, the year Heaney was born – he acknowledged his kinship with his compatriot who also dug deep into ancient Irish traditions while reflecting his country’s modern conflicts.” – ABC.net.au