More than 100,000 people from across the world have visited Bellaghy the home village of the late Nobel laureate, Seamus Heaney in the last seven years.
Wednesday marks the tenth anniversary of the writer’s death. The south Derry man, who grew up at the family home at Mossbawn near Bellaghy, is considered one of the most popular poets in English literature.
Focusing his writing on his rural upbringing, Heaney’s poetry reflects his personal history, from his days as a pupil at Anahorish primary school and later as a border at St Columb’s college in Derry and on through his family life.
His talent opened up a glittering literary career in which he served as Oxford Professor of Poetry and as visiting professor at Harvard University and won many of the world’s leading cultural accolades.
His career reached its height in 1995 when he was awarded the Nobel prize for literature.
[ From 2013: Seamus Heaney's final performance in home county a sell-out successOpens in new window ]
Heaney died suddenly in Dublin in 2013 at the age of 74. After suffering a fall, he went into hospital for a medical procedure.
At his Requiem Mass in Dublin, the poet’s son Michael revealed that his father’s last message to his wife Marie was in his “beloved Latin” in a text in which he said “Noli timere” (do not be afraid).
Following his funeral Mass, his cortege came back to his native Bellaghy where he was buried in the graveyard at St Mary’s parish church, close to his family grave where his parents and younger brother Christopher were laid to rest.
Heaney immortalised his brother in Mid Term Break, which poignantly recalled the four-year-old’s death in a car accident.
Within days of his funeral, the Bellaghy writer’s grave became a place of pilgrimage for poetry enthusiasts. When his simple headstone was unveiled, it bore the quotation “Walk on air against your better judgement” from his poem The Gravel Walks.
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Over the last 10 years, the number of people visiting Bellaghy and, from 2016, the Seamus Heaney HomePlace centre has continued to grow.
A spokeswoman for the centre said it has attracted many leading figures to Bellaghy, including President Michael D Higgins and King Charles. Other visitors have included actors, Liam Neeson, Simon Callow and Michael Palin, fellow writers, Michael Longley and Paul Muldoon and singer Van Morrison.
“We have welcomed over 100,000 visitors from more than 50 countries, including the USA, Australian, Canada, Germany and France among others," she said.
Bellaghy councilor Ian Milne said that as well as his great literary legacy, Heaney’s reputation has transformed his home village in the years since his death.
“You meet people from all over the world and you can feel the positive attitude. People are very proud of Seamus Heaney,” he said.
Mr Milne said Bellaghy was fast becoming a must-visit destination for literature enthusiasts.
St Mary’s parish confirmed that prayers in memory of the poet would be read at Masses in Bellaghy on Wednesday to mark his anniversary.
