Seamus Heaney.

Seamus Heaney — Academic

Born 13 Apr 1939 Castledawson, United Kingdom

Died 30 Aug 2013 Dublin, Ireland

Citizenship Ireland

Would Be 87 yr If Living

6 min read

Reading time

1,174

Words

Mar 30, 2026

Published

3

Film credits

77

Books

44

Awards

TL;DR

Seamus Heaney won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. He was born on 13 April 1939 in Castledawson, Northern Ireland, and studied at Queen’s University Belfast. He worked as a poet, playwright, translator, and lecturer. He died on 30 August 2013 in Dublin, Ireland.

Identity & family.

KIN · 3

Names, aliases, and relatives of Seamus Heaney — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

PARENTS: Margaret Kathleen McCann Patrick Heaney
SPOUSES: Marie Devlin

At a glance.

STATS

Seamus Heaney by the numbers — life, work, and family.

74 Years lived

3 Film credits

77 Books

44 Awards

1 Marriage

Who was Seamus Heaney?

BIOGRAPHY

Seamus Heaney — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Seamus Heaney was born on 13 April 1939 in Castledawson, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, to Margaret Kathleen McCann and Patrick Heaney. He attended St Columb’s College in Derry and later studied at Queen’s University Belfast. The rural landscape of his childhood in Northern Ireland influenced his later work.

Career

Heaney won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. He collected over 40 major awards, including the T. S. Eliot Prize and the Forward Poetry Prize. He wrote poetry and plays, worked as a translator and lecturer, and appeared in films like Bye-Child 2003 and Stay 2013.

Personal life

Born to Margaret Kathleen McCann and Patrick Heaney, he attended St Columb’s College and Queen’s University Belfast. He married Marie Devlin, and they lived in Dublin. His brother Daniel worked as a history teacher. He died in Dublin on 30 August 2013.

Legacy

The 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature and over 40 other awards cement his legacy. Ireland issued a postage stamp with his portrait in 2014. His poetry remains widely read and taught. He is remembered for his precise language and ties to the Irish landscape.

Filmography.

FILMS · 3

Browse the complete filmography of Seamus Heaney — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

Movie

The Disappeared

2013
Movie

Something to Write Home About

1998
Movie

The Loughsiders

1972

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 40

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Seamus Heaney — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 77

Seamus Heaney's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon Goodreads

The Spirit Level

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Beowulf

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Death of a Naturalist

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

The Redress of Poetry

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Sweeney Astray

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Preoccupations

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

The Burial at Thebes

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Opened Ground

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

The Cure at Troy

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Poems, 1965-1975

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

District and Circle

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Crediting Poetry

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

The Government of the Tongue

by Seamus Heaney
Amazon Goodreads

Field Work

by Seamus Heaney

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Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 1

A wall of memorable lines from Seamus Heaney — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

I Am Not a Playwright. a Playwright Would Take Antigone and Hit It a Few Clouts and Knock It Out of Shape and Restructure It. My Versioning Was Strictly Verbal.

Did you know?

FACTS · 4

Little-known facts about Seamus Heaney — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

Heaney was awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Heaney won the Nobel Prize in 1995 and also worked as a playwright, translator, and lecturer.
An Irish 68-cent postage stamp issued on 28 August 2014 features Heaney’s picture.
Heaney’s brother, Daniel, worked as a history teacher.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 34

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Seamus Heaney.

When was Seamus Heaney born?

Seamus Heaney was born on 13 April 1939. His birthplace was Castledawson, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Where was Seamus Heaney born?

Heaney was born in Castledawson, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, which was part of the United Kingdom at the time.
When did Seamus Heaney die?

Seamus Heaney died on 30 August 2013. He was 74 years old.
How old was Seamus Heaney when he died?

Heaney was 74 years old at the time of his death. He died on 30 August 2013.
Where did Seamus Heaney die?

Heaney died in Dublin, Ireland. He had lived there with his wife Marie Devlin.
What was Seamus Heaney's occupation?

Heaney worked as a writer, actor, and soundtrack artist. His primary occupation was as a poet and playwright.
What nationality was Seamus Heaney?

Heaney was Irish. He was born in Northern Ireland but held Irish citizenship.
What language did Seamus Heaney speak?

His native language was English. He wrote all his works in English.
Who were Seamus Heaney's parents?

His parents were Margaret Kathleen McCann and Patrick Heaney. His father worked as a farmer and cattle dealer.
Who was Seamus Heaney married to?

Heaney was married to Marie Devlin. They were together from 1965 until his death in 2013.
Where did Seamus Heaney attend school?

He attended St Columb’s College in Derry, Queen’s University Belfast, and later studied at Bates College in the United States.
What awards did Seamus Heaney win?

He won over 40 major awards, including the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995, the T. S. Eliot Prize, and multiple Costa Book Awards.
How many awards did Seamus Heaney win?

Heaney won more than 40 major awards throughout his career. The most prestigious was the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.
What was Seamus Heaney known for?

Seamus Heaney gained his greatest fame from his poetry and literary translations.
Was Seamus Heaney married?

Yes, he was married to Marie Devlin. They wed in 1965 and remained together until his death.
What films did Seamus Heaney appear in?

Heaney appeared in Bye-Child 2003, Stay 2013, and Seanchaí 2006. He worked as an actor and soundtrack artist.
What postage stamp features Seamus Heaney?

An Irish 68-cent postage stamp issued on 28 August 2014 features Heaney’s portrait.
Who was Seamus Heaney's brother?

His brother was Daniel Heaney, who worked as a history teacher.
When did Seamus Heaney win the Nobel Prize?

Heaney won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995. It was the highest honor of his career.
What literary prizes did Seamus Heaney win besides the Nobel?

He won the T. S. Eliot Prize, Forward Poetry Prize, Costa Book Awards, and many others including the Griffin Poetry Prize.
Did Seamus Heaney write poetry?

Yes, Heaney was primarily a poet. He also wrote plays, translations, and literary criticism.
What was Seamus Heaney's profession?

Heaney worked primarily as a poet. He also wrote plays, translations, and literary criticism.
Where did Seamus Heaney study?

He studied at St Columb’s College, Queen’s University Belfast, and Bates College.
How many Costa Book Awards did Heaney win?

Heaney won three Costa Book Awards formerly known as Whitbread Book Awards.
Was Seamus Heaney a lecturer?

Yes, Heaney worked as a lecturer in addition to his writing. He taught at various institutions including Queen’s University Belfast.
What is the Ulysses Medal?

The Ulysses Medal is one of the awards Heaney received. It is presented by University College Dublin to honor outstanding contributions to Irish culture.
Did Seamus Heaney receive honorary doctorates?

Yes, he received multiple honorary doctorates, including from the University of La Coruña, Jagiellonian University of Krakow, Sorbonne Nouvelle University, and Caen University.
What is the Poetry Now Award?

The Poetry Now Award is an Irish literary prize. Heaney won it twice.
Was Seamus Heaney a member of the Royal Irish Academy?

Yes, he was a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, a prestigious academic body in Ireland.
What is the Golden Wreath award?

The Golden Wreath is an award given at the Struga Poetry Evenings. Heaney received it in recognition of his poetic achievements.
Did Seamus Heaney win a PEN Translation Prize?

Yes, he won the PEN Translation Prize.
What was Heaney's native language?

His native language was English, and he wrote exclusively in English.
How did Seamus Heaney die?

He died on 30 August 2013 in Dublin, Ireland. The cause of death is not specified in available records.
What is Heaney's connection to Bates College?

He studied at Bates College in Maine, USA.

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Audited & updated by

If something's wrong in a profile, Daniel will find it. With 7 years of research experience, he's developed an almost unreasonable eye for inaccurate career timelines, misattributed credits, and dates that don't quite add up. He doesn't publish anything he can't verify. The profiles on Famousy are as accurate as they are largely because of work you'll never see his name on.

Published on March 30, 2026

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