In the Footsteps of Seamus Heaney | Private Car Tour

InSite Tours Ireland provides travelers with award-winning, customized experiences that highlight the finest aspects of Ireland's culture, history, and landscapes. This unique and intimate journey offers a profound connection to the landscapes and moments that inspired Nobel Prizewinning Poet Seamus Heaney, brought to life by Fergal Kearney's personal stories and insights. Whether you're new to Heaney's work or deeply familiar with it, the tour promises an emotionally enriching experience, steeped in the poet's heritage and the beauty of his homeland. This Seamus Heaney tour provides an exclusive, immersive journey into the poet's world, offering guests a deep, personal connection to the landscapes and inspirations behind his work.

1. 1

   Queen's University

   30 min

   The beautiful Lanyon Building at Queens is one of Belfast's landmark architectural gems, but adjacent to this is the Seamus Heaney Library, dedicated in his honour as both student and teacher.

2. 2

   Stop 2

   30 min

   We will take a detour to take in the panorama of Seamus Heaney's beloved South Derry, a living breathing map of the places celebrated in his work. We will stop at the ancient coaching inn at Crosskeys for some refreshments.

3. 3

   Stop 3

   25 min

   In his seminal poem 'The Lough Neagh Sequence' Heaney charts the astonishing journey of the Lough Neagh Eel from the Sargasso Sea, across the Atlantic and upriver on the Bann to Lough Neagh. On this visit you will see the existing Fishery which keeps the tradition of Eel Fishing alive in this community.

4. 4

   Bellaghy

   10 min

   We will take in the local GAA grounds where the Heaney's played Gaelic Football, then pass by the Forge at Hillhead, which features in one of Seamus Heaney's earliest poems from A Door Into the Dark.

5. 5

   Stop 5

   30 min

   We will not be taking to the water, but we will visit The Strand at Lough Beg, Seamus Heaney's 'favourite place in the world'. Here you will listen to his poem of that name that commemorates his cousin who was murdered during the Troubles.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   1 hour

   We will visit the award-winning Tap House Bar and Restaurant to enjoy a sumptous local lunch, prepared using locally sourced produce. Extra Cost.

7. 7

   Stop 7

   15 min

   When Seamus Heaney died in August 2013, he took the local community by surprise by choosing his native Bellaghy as his final resting place. He he lies, his gravestone facing westwards over his beloved Tamlaghduff with the simple epitaph 'Walk on Air Against Your Better Judgement'.

8. 8

   Stop 8

   15 min

   Seamus Heaney's final public act for this community in Bellaghy was the unveiling in April 2008 of The Turf Man by artist David Annand. Inspired by his seminal poem 'Digging', Seamus said of the sculpture at its unveiling, 'it is the right image, in the right place'.

9. 9

   Stop 9

   2 hours

   Before we visit the Seamus Heaney HomePlace, we will stop for lunch at the adjacent Tap House Bar and Restaurant. The HomePlace is a purpose built museum the pays homage to the great poet and his lifetime's work. During your tour you can hear Seamus hauntingly reading his own poems as you take a journey through his life.

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.