Tourism Ireland and Mid Ulster Council hosted an event in The Bloomsbury Hotel in London this week to celebrate the work of Seamus Heaney and to promote the Seamus Heaney HomePlace visitor attraction in Bellaghy, Co. Derry, to a "culturally curious" audience in Britain.
The invited audience included representatives of the British travel industry and media, as well as members of the Heaney family. Actors Adrian Dunbar and Bríd Brennan performed Heaney’s poetry and Professors Roy Foster and Bernard O’Donoghue took part in an ‘In Conversation’ about Heaney and the influence of Bellaghy on his work. A new Seamus Heaney HomePlace film was also launched. Narrated by Liam Neeson, the short film showcases Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy and the scenery of the surrounding countryside and its inspiration for the Nobel Laureate’s work.
Julie Wakley, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Great Britain, said, “We were delighted to host this special Seamus Heaney event, in conjunction with Mid Ulster Council, celebrating the life and literature of one of Ireland's greatest writers and his links with Bellaghy and this beautiful area. The new film, Journey to Seamus Heaney HomePlace, and our new pages on Ireland.com, will help to showcase further what makes this area so special.”
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
