Tour summary
An intimate and emotional journey through the landscapes and places that inspired the Nobel Prize Winning Irish poet, Seamus Heaney. You will be guided through your experience by Fergal Kearney, who knew the poet personally and has many stories to tell of these inspiring moments.
tour details
This is a private experience by private luxury vehicle and will take you to many places referenced in Seamus’ many poetry collections, most of which are known only to your guide. Those who have taken this journey with us have often been overwhelmed by the beauty and complexity of Seamus’ writing, read aloud to you by your guide in the very places that inspired them. You will also enjoy a visit to the Seamus Heaney Homeplace where you can immerse yourself in the life and work of the poet in his own words.
What to expect
Fergal will take you off the well beaten path for an intimate and moving insight into the life and work of Seamus Heaney.
Walk through the fields of Tamlaghduff within sight of Seamus Heaney’s family home at ‘The Wood’, perhaps enjoying a chance meeting with one of his brothers; stroll through the ‘squeaking sedge’ on the Strand at Lough Beg, made famous in Seamus’ eulogy for his murdered cousin; gaze out over the vast expanse of Toner’s Bog, from his eponymous poem ‘Digging’, now returned to its natural state in the total stillness of Ballymacombs. Or simply breathe the Bellaghy air that Seamus himself breathed as you immerse yourself in the totality of his amazing sense of place.
Whether you’re a Seamus Heaney novice or a scholar of his body of work, this tour will be intimate, moving and arresting in equal measure, delivered with the characteristic humour, knowledge and subtlety of a fellow Bellaghy native.
Fergal says, “Having known and worked with Seamus Heaney over many years and having grown up in the same fields and lanes and knowing the same people in his native Bellaghy, I feel uniquely gifted to follow in the footsteps of the great man and to share his journey through my eyes. This is no stranger’s view of the poet in his place, but that of a generation that has been influenced by Seamus over the years and known him personally for decades.”
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Your Itinerary
This tour lasts for eight hours (including travel times) and will take in the following attractions:
- The Forge at Hillhead
- Mossbawn
- Lagan’s Road
- Eel Fishery at Toome
- The Strand at Lough Beg
- Church Island
- Toner’s Bog
- Bellaghy Bawn
- The Turfman Sculpture
- Seamus Heaney’s Grave
- The Seamus Heaney HomePlace (allow 90 minutes)
Pick up and Drop Off
The tour price includes pick up and drop off at your accommodation in Belfast or Derry. Cruise terminal pick up is not available, but passengers can make their way by private hire taxi to the city centre.
what to bring
- We’re in Ireland so prepare for all types of weather
- Wear good walking shoes
- Some sites have limited disability access
- No meals are provided on this tour
- Price includes all admissions
- Price does not include tips
Inclusions
- Family friendly
- All entrance fees included
- Bottled Water
- All-inclusive tour
- Free local hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Informative, friendly and professional guide