Poetry of the Troubles: Seamus Heaney and his Contemporaries

What is the course about?

How did leading Irish poets respond to the escalation of the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s onwards? For the writers who came of age at that time, the ‘situation’ posed urgent questions of artistic, political and moral integrity. The pre-eminent poet of this generation, Seamus Heaney (born a Catholic in County Derry in 1939), was initially reluctant to write directly about the Troubles. However, after returning to Belfast in 1971 from a teaching stint in California, he found that things had taken a sharp turn for the worse – internment, bombings, checkpoints – and began to write poems such as ‘Punishment’, in which he tried to ‘understand the exact / and tribal, intimate revenge’ perpetrated by IRA gangs, and ‘Exposure’, in which he declared ‘I am neither internee nor informer; /An inner émigré, grown long-haired/And thoughtful’. These and others were collected in North (1975) alongside poems exploring the historical, mythological and archaelogical meanings of ‘north’ in Europe, to powerful effect, offering complexity, resonance and a longer view from which to consider both present-day horror and violence and his personal position within it.

We will study this landmark collection in detail and also consider Heaney’s approach alongside that of his contemporaries, such as Michael Longley, Seamus Deane, Derek Mahon and others. In many cases their poems dealt with the violence more directly, describing actual incidents in harrowing detail; others expressed trenchant political opinions, despair and grief. Which approaches have stood the test of time, and to what extent did these poets justify the value of poetry in times of violence?

What will we cover?

• Seamus Heaney’s biography and background and how this influenced his writing on the Troubles
• The variety of poetic styles and strategies used by Heaney and his contemporaries to respond to violence in 1970s Northern Ireland
• The relationship between modern-day violence in Northern Ireland and the historical, mythological and archaelogical past
• Issues of political position and national identity faced by Irish poets of the period
• The values of art in times of violence.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Discuss significant poems by leading Irish writers on the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1970s in their literary, political and social context
• Begin to understand the background behind these poems and the national and personal histories that informed them
• Recognise the range of poetic techniques used by Seamus Heaney and his contemporaries to respond to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

All you need is enthusiasm for reading and discussing poetry.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The classes will be highly participatory and interactive, with a combination of group work, close reading exercises and class discussion. Your own responses and ideas will be to the fore, but with expert guidance on hand from the tutor. Each week you will be given some reading along with topics/questions to think about before the next class.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Please buy or borrow Seamus Heaney’s North (1975), published by Faber. ISBN: 9780571108138. https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571108138-north/.

Other poems will be provided, but they are also available (along with many more) on the Troubles Archive: http://www.troublesarchive.com/.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The tutor will also be teaching HLT249 British Literature of the 1930s: Brits Abroad, starting on 23rd September 2025. For other fiction and poetry courses in the Literature programme, please see www.citylit.ac.uk/history, culture and writing/literature.