British and Irish Literature: Seamus Heaney

Please note that not all manuscript collections are housed in the Rose Library. Some collections are located in an off-site storage facility and must be requested in advance. To ensure your timely accessibility to our collections on and off-site, we appreciate advance notice of the collections you intend to view.

We are happy to assist you as you prepare for your research visit. If you have any questions about our collections, questions regarding the Rose Library's researcher policies, and/or would like to request materials to be on hold for your research visit, please email rose.library@emory.edu to the attention of Research Services.

Brandes, Rand. (MSS 1100). Seamus Heaney correspondence and manuscripts, 1990-2007; 3.25 linear ft. (7 boxes).

The collection consists of material compiled by Rand Brandes while researching and writing Seamus Heaney: A Bibliography, 1959-2003, from 1990-2007. The material consists primarily of correspondence from Seamus Heaney to Brandes regarding the bibliography, in addition to manuscripts of poems and other works by Heaney. The collection also includes printed material, photographs, and audiovisual material related to Seamus Heaney.

 

Carson, Ciaran. (MSS 746). Papers, 1970-2002; 25.5 linear ft. (48 boxes, 27 oversized papers).

The personal papers of the Northern Irish poet Ciaran Carson (1948- ) include correspondence, literary manuscripts, literary notebooks, and collected printed material dating from the early 1970s up to 1997. Seamus Heaney is included among the correspondents represented in the papers.

 

Deane, Seamus. (MSS 1210). Papers; 6.25 linear ft. (7 boxes). 

The collection consists of the papers of Irish poet and educator Seamus Deane and contains writings by Deane and others, correspondence, journals, and business records. The collection also contains materials relating to Seamus Heaney's work, particularly a draft of his 1975 poetry collection North, and some correspondence from Seamus Heaney (restricted).

 

Emory University. Lectures and Symposia, Richard Ellman Lectures in Modern Literature. (Series 26). Records, 1988- ; 1 linear ft. (2 boxes).

The University Archives includes materials related to the Richard Ellman Lectures in Modern Literature held bienially at Emory University. The correspondence, clippings, audiovisual materials and promotional literature document the inauguration of the series by Seamus Heaney in 1988. The Place of Writing (1989) by Seamus Heaney, essays to inaugurate the Richard Ellman Lecture series, is available for purchase from the department.

 

Fallon, Peter/Gallery Press. (MSS 817). Collection, [1967-1998] 97 linear ft. (195 boxes, 127 oversized papers).

The Peter Fallon/Gallery Press collection contains personal and literary papers of Fallon, as well as files related to his publishing house, Gallery Press. Present in the Press’s files are many manuscript drafts of most of Ireland’s leading poets and playwrights of the last twenty-five years, including material from Seamus Heaney.

 

Foster, John Wilson. (MSS 1102). Papers, 1973-2003; 4.5 linear ft. (6 boxes).

The papers of John Wilson Foster include writings, correspondence, photographs, printed material, and writings by others. Writings by Foster include drafts of his critical work in addition to some original poetry. Also included are correspondence from and writings by many Irish writers, including Seamus Heaney.

 

Heaney, Seamus. (MSS 653). Collection, 1981-1991; 1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes, 12 oversized papers).

This collection reflects both Heaney's role as a writer and as a reflector on writing. Included are a handwritten draft of "A Tower in the Ear: Yeats and Ballylee" delivered at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature in 1985; handwritten drafts, notes, and typescripts with holograph corrections for three lectures delivered at the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature series in 1988; videotapes of these lectures; and, correspondence with Professor Ronald Schuchard related to the lecture series (1988). A later addition to the Heaney Collection includes correspondence with Sebastian Barker (1981-1991) and a single manuscript of "The Placeless Heaven: Another Look at Kavanagh," an essay Heaney wrote on the poet Patrick Kavanagh. Also present are multiple drafts of the poem "Fosterage," an untitled manuscript on Michael McLaverty, and the manuscript of a radio talk Heaney gave on William Wordsworth. Related materials are present in a number of other collections including the Ciaran Carson papers, the Michael Longley papers, the Derek Mahon papers, the Frank Ormsby papers, and the James Simmons papers.

 

Heaney, Seamus. (MSS 960). Papers, 1951-2004; 51 linear ft. (102 boxes, 13 oversized papers).

The Seamus Heaney papers consist of correspondence, literary manuscripts, printed material, subject files, photographs, audio-visual material, and personal papers from 1951-2004. Correspondence (1963-2004) comprises the bulk of the collection and documents Heaney's relationship with his students, publishers, friends, and other literary figures, including Joseph Brodsky, Donald Davies, Seamus Deane, Douglas Dunn, Peter Fallon, Brian Friel, Anthony Hecht, Ted Hughes, Michael Longley, Medbh McGuckian, Paul Muldoon, and James Simmons. Literary manuscripts include a small group of poems and prose written by Heaney and many manuscripts sent to him by other literary figures and by aspiring writers. Restrictions: Series 1 correspondence is closed to researchers.

 

Heaney, Seamus. (MSS 1019). Letters to David Hammond, 1968-2005; 1.75 linear ft. (4 boxes)

Seamus Heaney and David Hammond, a folksinger and filmmaker, are personal friends and collaborated on a number of British Broadcasting Company Northern Ireland projects. The collection contains letters from Seamus Heaney to David Hammond along with typescripts of Heaney writings and photographs.

 

Hughes, Ted. (MSS 644). Papers, 1940-1997; 92.5 linear ft. (186 boxes, 103 oversized papers).

The Ted Hughes Papers contain an extensive correspondence series with well-known poets and critics, including Seamus Heaney. It also includes extensive manuscript drafts from all of Hughes' collections, sound recordings, journals, photographs, scrapbooks, and collected printed materials.

 

Longley, Michael. (MSS 744). Papers, 1960-2000; 40 linear ft. (81 boxes, 14 oversized papers).

The papers of Michael Longley include extensive files of correspondence, including letters from Seamus Heaney. Also present are original worksheets from the "Belfast Group" meetings that Longley and Heaney attended in the 1960s.

 

Mahon, Derek. (MSS 689). Papers, 1948-2000; 29 linear ft. (57 boxes, 16 oversized papers).

The Derek Mahon papers include correspondence with other literary figures, including Seamus Heaney.

 

McGuckian, Medbh. (MSS 770). Papers, 1969-1994; 42.5 linear ft. (87 boxes, 28 oversized papers).

The Medbh McGuckian papers include extensive files of personal and literary correspondence including letters from Seamus Heaney.

 

Miller, Karl. (MSS 1090). Papers, 1.25 linear ft. (3 boxes).

This collection includes correspondence written to Miller by writers, literary scholars, and public intellectuals, including Seamus Heaney.

 

Muldoon, Paul. (MSS 784). Papers, ca. 1968-1996; 25 linear ft. (47 boxes, 162 oversized papers).

The Paul Muldoon papers contain correspondence received by him from ca. 1968 to 1996, including personal and professional letters. A small number of letters by Paul Muldoon are also present. A number of manuscripts by other writers, including Seamus Heaney, may also be found in the papers, as well as photographs, and a small number of sound and audio recordings.

 

O’Grady, Desmond. (MSS 911). Papers; 1953-2001; 38.5 linear ft. (78 boxes and 12 oversized papers).

The collection of poet Desmond O’Grady (1929- ) includes correspondence with many Irish writers, including Seamus Heaney.

 

Paulin, Tom. (MSS 880). Papers, 1972-2000; 51 linear ft. (85 boxes, 8 oversized papers).

The papers of Tom Paulin includes letters from fellow poet Seamus Heaney.

 

Schuchard, Ronald. (MSS 1005). Papers, 1981-2004; 1.5 linear ft. (4 boxes).

The Ronald Schuchard papers primarily consist of materials relating to Ron Schuchard’s relationship with Seamus Heaney from 1981-2004, including correspondence, drafts of lectures for the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature, writings, printed materials, and photographs. The bulk of the papers consist of correspondence between Heaney and Schuchard (1981-2004) and reflects the planning for the Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature at Emory University, which Heaney delivered in 1988 and the friendship between Schuchard and Heaney.

 

Simmons, James. (MSS 759) . Papers, 1945-1996; 39 linear ft. (78 boxes and 20 oversized papers).

The James Simmons papers include letters from many prominent writers, among them Seamus Heaney, and Simmon's participation in Philip Hobsbaum's "Belfast Group."