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Taoiseach: 'Seamus Heaney's death brings great sorrow to Ireland'

In a statement this lunchtime, the Taoiseach said that Heaney “was the keeper of the language, our codes, our essence as a people”

TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has paid tribute to the poet laureate Seamus Heaney saying that his death has brought “great sorrow to Ireland”.

The 74-year-old died earlier today following an ill health in recent weeks. His death has brought dozens of tributes from well known figures including President Michael D Higgins.

In a statement this lunchtime, the Taoiseach said that Heaney “was the keeper of the language, our codes, our essence as a people”

The full statement:

Seamus Heaney’s death brings great sorrow to Ireland, to language and to literature. He is mourned – and deeply – wherever poetry and the world of the spirit are cherished and celebrated.

For us, Seamus Heaney was the keeper of language, our codes, our essence as a people.

When he took his children to school in Ashford…. the headmaster wrote in the column marked ‘Occupation of Parent’, two small, quiet syllables…. ‘file’. As he put it himself, ‘there were no more alibis’.
Not too long ago he gifted us with his archive. Bound words…portable as altar stones…….unleavened elements.

Today, it would take Seamus Heaney himself to describe the depth of his loss to us as a nation.

We are blessed to call Seamus Heaney our own and thankful for the gift of him in our national life. He belongs with Joyce, Yeats, Shaw and Beckett in the pantheon of our greatest literary exponents.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Marie, Michael, Christopher, Catherine Anne and the extended Heaney family.

I want them to know that, on this sad day, there are no words to describe adequately our nation’s and poetry’s grief at the passing of Seamus Heaney. Nor indeed, of our shocking pride, in ár bpríomh fhile.

In pictures: The life and times of Seamus Heaney

Read: ‘Full of humour, care and courtesy’: President leads tributes to Seamus Heaney

Read: Share your favourite Seamus Heaney poetry and school memories

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49 Comments
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:13 PM

    A great and noble soul who privileged our country by being one of us. He stands amongst the giants of Irish literary such as Joyce, Behan and Yeats. We are truly the poorer for his passing.

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    Mute moneymaid
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:17 PM

    Lovely. Well said.

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    Mute Norman Hunter
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:42 PM

    The passing of Mr Heaney is sad as indeed there has already been six articles referring to his passing.RIP.
    Mr Daly died by his own hand due to the Priory Hall debacle, residents of Priory Hall have begged the government for help but only met with indifference. Just when is the time and place to highlight this?

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    Mute Dearbhla Russell
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:47 PM

    There is a time and place Norman. But it is not here.

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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Aug 30th 2013, 5:36 PM

    Not here.

    24
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    Mute Gerry O'reilly
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    Aug 30th 2013, 6:37 PM

    Kenny brings great sorrow to Ireland more like

    18
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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:18 PM

    Taoiseach,the man who took his own life over the priory hall fiasco also brings great sadness,sorrow,and shame on Ireland (RIP seamus Heaney) .

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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Aug 30th 2013, 5:37 PM

    Astonishing.

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    Mute Avril Sutton
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:18 PM

    RIP, perhaps he could also reply to Fiachra Daly’s grieving partners e- mails and do the right thing by the residents of Priory Hall while he’s at it, show some shame man..

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:26 PM

    Time/ place

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    Mute Jean Martin
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    Aug 30th 2013, 2:25 PM

    I don’t think there is anyone on here today that doesn’t agree that what happened to this family is a tragedy, anyone. But this particular blog is in honour of Seamus Heaney…….he is more than entitled to it.

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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Aug 30th 2013, 5:36 PM

    Unbelievable.

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    Mute realitycheque
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:41 PM

    A truly gentle man, and a keeper of words.

    A Call

    “Hold on,” she said, “I’ll just run out and get him.
    The weather here’s so good, he took the chance
    To do a bit of weeding.!
    So I saw him
    Down on his hands and knees beside the leek rig,
    Touching, inspecting, separating one
    Stalk from the other, gently pulling up
    Everything not tapered, frail and leafless,
    Pleased to feel each little wee-root break,
    But rueful also …
    Then found myself listening to
    The amplified grave ticking of hall clocks
    Where the phone lay unattended in a calm
    Of mirror glass and sunstruck pendulums ….

    And found myself then thinking: if it were nowadays,
    This is how Death would summon Everyman.

    Next thing he spoke and I nearly said I loved him.

    RIP Seamus, and thank you.

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    Mute Ronan Archibald
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:17 PM

    What a talent we had in Seamus. His body of work will continue his legacy, and what a legacy to be proud of.

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    Mute John Ward
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:21 PM

    I’m so sorry that we have been deprived of more wise words from this wonderful wordsmith.

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    Mute GOLDEN ARMS
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    Aug 30th 2013, 2:32 PM

    Seamus Heaneys life brought great joy to Ireland, the only sorrow is a man like Enda Kenny and his ilk get to comment on a great mans passing.

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    Mute Dearbhla Russell
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:13 PM

    Nice words. Well said.

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    Mute John Mc Carthy
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    Aug 30th 2013, 7:33 PM

    My mate and I were on a beach in Goa a couple of years back. An Indian man (from Lahore) in his 60s walks into the water behind us and overhears us speaking. ‘Teachers?’ he asks. We reply, ‘Yeah.’ Small talk ensues. He introduces himself as Arvind, and informs us he is a poet, teaching in a university. He quickly establishes we’re both Irish and recites ‘Mid-Term Break’ word-for-word as the sun is setting. He explains how poets such as Heaney and Yeats had inspired him to inspire others. He walks out of the water without so much as a goodbye. We were absolutely dumbfounded.

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    Mute Raymond McCaul
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    Aug 30th 2013, 3:08 PM

    someone wrote a nice tribute there for Kenny to use.Certainly didnt come out of that muppets head.

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    Mute The Avarus Animus
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:45 PM

    Who cares what that traitor has to say………..Rest easy Seamus!

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    Mute eric grixy
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:25 PM

    I don’t feel sorrow, I’m Irish and I don’t feel sorrow ,
    I do of course wish that he rests in peace and that his family and true friends get over their the shock and grief which I am sure they will, they were connected to a man that they could feel proud and privileged to know I’m sure !

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    Mute Amy gaffney
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    Aug 30th 2013, 4:29 PM

    You are in the minority my friend. I’ve seen tweets from all nationalities expressing their sympathy and sorrow. We were proud of him long before he died, and he’ll go down in legend now with the likes of Yeats. RIP to an incredible talent and man.

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    Mute eric grixy
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    Aug 30th 2013, 4:59 PM

    Minority is cool with me .
    A 74 year -old man who has had a wonderfully rewarding life who has moved on does not evoke sorrow, particularly when I never met him; I don’t hang sorrow on my imagination for those who have relatively good mileage on the clock, I do have sympathy for those who genuinely grieve ; that’s as far as it goes !

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Aug 30th 2013, 3:16 PM

    Edna’s death would upset his family and maybe a few of the gangsters he’s helped avoid financial ruin and maybe even prison, but the rest of us wouldn’t give a toss.

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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Aug 30th 2013, 5:40 PM

    A friend of mine once described the journal as a nest of vipers. One look at the comments on this thread only serve to prove he was right.

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    Mute Meiread Ashe
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    Aug 30th 2013, 6:05 PM

    Please give him a state funeral….a leader of the cultural Ireland …

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    Mute trevor power
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:34 PM

    Agh, great poetry!

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    Mute Tal Tallon
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    Aug 30th 2013, 2:10 PM

    6 Stories and counting on this in the past couple of hours on the homepage..
    I get it, he’s dead

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    Mute Gavin Mooney
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:21 PM

    I thought he was already dead!

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:29 PM

    Gavin, Keep reading the Journal and then you will know what’s going on in Ireland and the world.

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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:32 PM

    Who, Kenny? He has the look of it, I’ll grant you that!

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    Mute Denis Silver
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    Aug 30th 2013, 3:35 PM

    Have to say the death of this man means nothing to me ,don’t presume to think that everyone in the country in in mourning because of this .I mean how many of us have read his work apart from in school and that doesn’t count because you’re forced to read it.I see all the luvies are out in force today on all the radio stations and no doubt they’ll be all at the funeral but really I’d say the country is not really in mourning Enda

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    Mute David Crowley
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    Aug 30th 2013, 3:17 PM

    Tool.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Aug 30th 2013, 1:26 PM

    Its allways sad to hear of good people like Seamus Heaney pass away I liked him as a poet he was much better than Yeats who lived in France and his poems didn’t rhyme.

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    Mute eric grixy
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    Aug 30th 2013, 4:14 PM

    I hate it when poems don’t rhyme ; it makes the poet look lazy I think !

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    Mute John B. Reid
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    Aug 30th 2013, 4:58 PM

    Seamus Heaney was perhaps the most over-feted, over-rated and intellectually-inconsistent poet that we ever had.

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    Mute Katie Did Next
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    Aug 30th 2013, 9:37 PM

    RIP to Sheamus, I heard he was very kind. Its an awful pity Kenny wasn’t thinking about Mr Daly of Priory hall.

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    Mute eric grixy
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    Aug 30th 2013, 5:26 PM

    The King is Dead

    His years were great
    In, life in years, in his honest memories
    Simply remembered ;simply told
    In this a most advanced expression
    in great time of human advancement.
    Nobel, Nobel, no bell
    Will peal to express true love’s loss

    He is gone,,, I do not weep
    Not for me the wailing of lament
    Yes a great loss, but not a friend
    With whom time is made oh so precious
    That is my truth, my expression
    the passing of no man will deter that quest.

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    Mute Tim Higgins
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    Aug 30th 2013, 7:42 PM

    This is the first thing out of kennys mouth I believe and I know to be true.

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    Mute Gerry Morgan
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    Aug 31st 2013, 8:59 PM

    That w*nker kenny never misses an opportunity, when is he going to talk to the people of priory hall ?

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    Mute Graham Crosbie
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    Aug 31st 2013, 12:11 PM

    Pity you wouldint keel over Kenny and we would be rid of you then permanently

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