Seamus Heaney HomePlace is proud to sponsor a bursary for the John Hewitt International Summer School 2026. Applications close Friday 22nd May at 5pm, so there’s still time to apply. Find out more and apply here > johnhewittsociety.org/bursary2026/

It was a pleasure to welcome Rochester Institute of Technology to HomePlace yesterday for a special exhibition visit. We were delighted to share the life and legacy of Seamus Heaney and introduce our visitors to Bellaghy, the landscape that inspired so much of his work. Thank you for visiting us!

We were delighted to welcome chef Paul Rankin and publisher Carole Tonkinson to Seamus Heaney HomePlace for a special visit. It was a pleasure to show them around our exhibition before they headed to the Donegal Food Festival. Safe travels and enjoy!

Altan In Concert 🎶 Legendary Irish traditional group Altan return to HomePlace with their acclaimed 2024 album, Donegal. Led by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, expect electrifying musicianship and rich Donegal heritage. 📅 Saturday 16th May ⏰ 7:30pm 🎟️ £25 Book now > tinyurl.com/bdzfmyd7

🎶 John Spillane In Concert Join us for an evening of music and storytelling with one of Ireland’s finest songwriters - full of heart, humour and folk tradition. 📅 Saturday 9th May ⏰ 7:30pm 🎟️ £18 Book now > tinyurl.com/mt6u5auu

We were delighted to welcome Sandi Toksvig to Seamus Heaney HomePlace last week for a special visit!✨ She was filming for her new Channel 4 series "Sandi Toksvig’s Irish Odyssey". We can’t wait to see HomePlace featured on screen - stay tuned for its release later this year!

🌿 The Living Landscape: Creativity, Conservation and Care Join Mary Reynolds, John Spillane and Dr Peter Doran for an inspiring discussion on nature, creativity and our responsibility to protect it. 📅 Sunday 10th May ⏰ 2pm 🎟️ £15 Book now > tinyurl.com/y93s6fdr

🌿 Celebrating Nature: 60 Years of Death of a Naturalist In partnership with @rspbni.bsky.social and PRONI, Seamus Heaney HomePlace invites visitors to mark the 60th anniversary of Death of a Naturalist, Seamus Heaney’s first poetry collection, through a vibrant series of events.

🌅🐦 Dawn Chorus at Lough Beg In Partnership with @rspbni.bsky.social Celebrate #InternationalDawnChorusDay with a sunrise walk through Long Point Wood, listening to incredible birdsong. 📅 Sunday 3rd May ⏰ 4.30am 🎟️ £20 Book now > tinyurl.com/5y5jrbkc

Field Notes: Writing the Natural World with Garrett Carr 🌿✍️ Explore Moneystaghan Bog with writer Garrett Carr, then return to Seamus Heaney HomePlace to turn your observations into creative writing in a guided workshop. 📅 Saturday 2nd May ⏰ 10:30am 🎟️ £30 Book now > tinyurl.com/4584hvhb

🌿 Celebrating Nature: 60 Years of Death of a Naturalist In partnership with RSPB NI and PRONI, Seamus Heaney HomePlace invites visitors to mark the 60th anniversary of Death of a Naturalist, Seamus Heaney’s first poetry collection, through a vibrant series of events.

🌿🎨 Our upcoming Nature’s Brush: From Woodland to Watercolour painting workshop, in partnership with RSPB NI, is officially sold out. We can’t wait to welcome everyone who secured a ticket for what promises to be a truly inspiring experience! @rspbni.bsky.social

We are thrilled to welcome award-winning Irish duo Kieran Goss & Annie Kinsella to Seamus Heaney HomePlace on Saturday 20th March 2027! 🎶 Tickets will go on sale this Friday 24th April at 10am > tinyurl.com/y56bvbut

📖 Read this brilliant review by Nicholas Allen of Sinéad Morrissey’s new memoir, Among Communists. We are delighted to welcome Sinéad to HomePlace on Friday 17th April where she will be in conversation with Jan Carson. Limited tickets remain - secure yours now! > tinyurl.com/37vkfhxb

We are delighted to announce that Patrick Radden Keefe is returning to HomePlace to discuss his highly anticipated new book, London Falling, in conversation with John Self! 📅 Date: Monday 8th June ⏰ Time: 7.30pm 🎟️ Tickets: £15 (or £37 Ticket & Book Bundle) Tickets on sale Thursday 2nd April at 2pm

Jan Carson In Conversation We are delighted to welcome award-winning author Jan Carson to HomePlace for a special evening discussing her new book, Few and Far Between. 📅 Saturday 25th April ⏰ 7.30pm 🎟️ £15 Secure your tickets now > tinyurl.com/ynpkz72v

Step into the landscapes that inspired Seamus Heaney with our Open Ground Guided Experience and discover the sights, sounds and spirit behind his poetry🌿 📅 Saturday 4th April ⏰ 10:30am Secure your space now > tinyurl.com/m5sak5jc

'Art Forms Colliding' with Duke Special For this unique event, Duke will play an intimate concert in The Helicon performing songs inspired by visual art and literature. 📅 Friday 10th April ⏰ 7.30pm 🎟️ £15 Book your tickets now > tinyurl.com/3jn2yzca

Our upcoming Lino Printing and Carving Workshop with Ruth Osbourne on Saturday 25th April is now officially sold out! We can’t wait to welcome everyone who booked a place for this inspiring and hands-on workshop!

We are delighted to welcome Sinéad Morrissey back to HomePlace to discuss her remarkable literary career and her new memoir, Among Communists, in conversation with Jan Carson. 📅 Friday 17th April ⏰ 7.30pm 🎟️ £15 Book your tickets now > tinyurl.com/3u5e9wu9

Join us at Seamus Heaney HomePlace for an egg-citing Easter Trail! 🐰 📅 Saturday 4th April & Monday 6th April ⏰ 10am - 2pm (timeslots available) 💷 £5 per child Book now! > tinyurl.com/3whd54dz

Did you know 2026 is the National Year of Reading? 🎉 📚 To mark the occasion, we are opening our Creative Zone as a free reading space for children on the first Tuesday of every month from 3pm-5pm. Come along and enjoy your favourite books in a space where imagination and creativity flourish!

New Spring Open Ground Dates Released! 🌿 Step into the landscapes that nurtured Seamus Heaney’s imagination with Open Ground - our immersive experience exploring the places where his poetry first took root. Book your place now > tinyurl.com/m5sak5jc

🎓 We were delighted to welcome students from Strabane Academy, St Patrick’s High School, Belfast High School and Limavady High School to HomePlace last Thursday for our A-Level Lecture Series! Students also explored the exhibition, creative zone and celebrated World Book Day with some reading.

St Patrick’s Day Crafts ☘️ Join us in the Creative Zone to create a fun paper plate leprechaun mask and a beautiful handmade St Patrick’s Day card to take home. 📅 Date: Tuesday 17th March ⏰ Time: 1pm – 2pm 🎟️ Cost: £5 Suitable for ages 7-11 years. Book now > tinyurl.com/4kaabrkh

We are delighted to announce that the wonderful Pam Ayres will be joining us in the Helicon at Seamus Heaney HomePlace this summer! 📅 Date: Saturday 22nd August ⏰ Time: 7.30pm 🎟️ Tickets: £35 Tickets on sale now > tinyurl.com/3mydja9h

Happy #WorldBookDay from everyone at Seamus Heaney HomePlace! 📖✨ Today we are celebrating the stories that shape us and the writers who help us see the world anew. Take some time to lose yourself in a good book today.

🎉 Extra Date Added! We are delighted to announce that Brian Bilston, Twitter’s unofficial Poet Laureate, is returning to Seamus Heaney HomePlace for an extra night on Saturday 7th November 2026. 🎟 Tickets on sale now > tinyurl.com/ykjn5a2t

Mother’s Day Card Workshop 🌸 Join us in the Creative Zone to make a beautiful Mother’s Day card using patterned paper! 📅 Saturday 7th March ⏰ 1pm – 2pm 💷 £5 Suitable for ages 8–11 years. Spaces are limited - book now > tinyurl.com/4k6he5nu

The scene at the @shhomeplace.bsky.social Heaney HomePlace last night, following the launch of Late Heaney by @dedalusdenaries.bsky.social Nicholas Allen, with music by Iarla Ó' Lionáird. A brilliant conversation and a great evening.

We are incredibly grateful to Colin Davidson for his generous mention of Seamus Heaney HomePlace in the opening episode of Discover Northern Ireland’s new podcast, Postcards from Northern Ireland! 🎧 Listen to the episode and hear what Colin had to say about HomePlace > tinyurl.com/45prb84h

We are delighted to welcome Colin Davidson and Mark Carruthers to HomePlace on Sunday 29th March as they discuss Twelve Paintings - an intimate and compelling exploration of Colin’s life and work. Please note this event is now sold out. We can’t wait to welcome everyone who secured a ticket!

🎟️ Secure your tickets now at > seamusheaneyhome.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/...

Special Announcement 🎉 Following a sold-out show last year, we are delighted to welcome the legendary Brian Kennedy back to Seamus Heaney HomePlace on Saturday 17th October! Tickets on sale Thursday 26th February at 10am 🌐 seamusheaneyhome.com 📞 028 7938 7444

🎬 We are delighted to screen Sé Merry Doyle’s award-winning film Patrick Kavanagh: No Man’s Fool to mark the 90th anniversary of the publication of Kavanagh’s first poetry collection, The Ploughman and Other Poems. 📅 Sunday 8th March ⏰ 2.30pm 🎟️ £10 Book now > tinyurl.com/7j8m8284

An Evening with Pat McCabe Join twice-Booker-nominated author Pat McCabe as he reads Heaney and Durcan, shares his writing journey from Clones to the USA and plays an Elvis song on the guitar! 📅 Saturday 28th March ⏰ 7.30pm 🎟️ £22.50 Book here > tinyurl.com/5n8jn2kx

🎭 We are delighted to welcome Tom Crean: Antarctic Explorer by Play on Words Theatre to Seamus Heaney HomePlace on 17th March for a sold-out performance. Performed by Aidan Dooley, this gripping, multi-award-winning show brings the extraordinary story of Tom Crean vividly to life.

Book of the Week in the Irish Daily Mail. Thank you, Maeve Quigley!

A nice piece in the Irish Examiner. Thanks again to Paul McDermott. www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ar...

🎶 Four decades of music. A lifetime of stories. The Song is Nearly Over is earning rave reviews in Record Collector, Mojo and Classic Rock. Hear Stuart Bailie share the stories behind the music at Seamus Heaney HomePlace this Thursday, in conversation with Stephen McCauley > tinyurl.com/5n8k3552

Please note our exhibition will close today, Tuesday 17th February, at 2pm. We will reopen as normal on Wednesday 18th February at 10am. Thank you for your understanding!

Read this brilliant feature on Stuart Bailie in this week’s Derry Now ahead of his visit to HomePlace this Thursday! Tickets still available - join us for an evening of music, memories and behind-the-scenes stories from 4 decades in the music industry > tinyurl.com/5n8k3552

✨What a magical night at Seamus Heaney HomePlace! Huge thanks to Sinéad Willox and her talented musicians for an unforgettable performance celebrating her debut album Seoda Uladh (Jewels of Ulster). Thanks to all who joined us - we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Catch up on RTÉ Arena and hear Stuart Bailie discussing The Song Is Nearly Over 🎧 Join us at HomePlace this Thursday 19th February as he appears in conversation with Stephen McCauley to explore the book in more depth. Don't miss it! > tinyurl.com/5n8k3552

Frank Cottrell-Boyce in Conversation with Martin Melarkey Join us at Seamus Heaney HomePlace for an evening with Frank Cottrell-Boyce, award-winning children’s author and acclaimed writer for stage and screen. 📅 Saturday 21st March ⏰ 7.30pm 🎟️ £15 Book now > tinyurl.com/mrnkarwk

An Introduction to Writing Poetry Workshop with Elaine Gaston This gentle, hands-on beginner workshop invites you to experiment with words, explore your creativity and take your first steps in writing your own poems. 📅Saturday 21st March ⏰ 10.30am – 1pm 🎟️ £30 Book now > tinyurl.com/78danswx

Looking for something creative to do over the mid-term break? 🎨 Visit our exhibition at Seamus Heaney HomePlace then step into the Creative Zone and make your own Mid-Term Break-inspired bookmark to take home. Perfect for all ages! Book your exhibition tickets here > tinyurl.com/4nrznm7h

One space has just become available for our hand-stitched leather satchel workshop! 🧵👜 Don’t miss your chance to craft your own beautiful satchel from scratch - once it’s gone, it’s gone! Tickets > tinyurl.com/3bz9n9w8

Mid-Term Break Offer 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Get 10% OFF a Family Ticket (2 adults + up to 3 kids) when you visit our Seamus Heaney exhibition over the mid-term break! 📅 9–15 Feb 2026 | Not available online 🎟️ Book your exhibition tickets now > tinyurl.com/4nrznm7h

Step back in time this Thursday, 12th February at HomePlace! Ahead of our Charles Thomson: Irish Emigrant, American Founder event, a selection of PRONI artefacts will be on display in our library from 4pm - 9pm for free public viewing. 📜 Come and explore letters, passenger lists and more up close!