Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney returned to his former primary school last week in a bid to raise much needed funds for the school.

Seamus Heaney spent the afternoon meeting pupils and getting a tour of Anahorish Primary School which he attended as a pupil from 1944 to 1951.

 

Heaney was the treated to a special assembly where pupils gathered to meet the great poet.

 

His visit culminated in a gala dinner on Friday night to help raise vital funds for the school which houses 191 pupils.

 

Principal Danny Quinn said: “It is a great honour to have Seamus Heaney with us, not just today in the school but also at the Gala dinner tonight.   This day will be a great memory for the children here in the school.”

 

Heaney was overwhelmed by the welcome he received from pupils: “Mr Quinn was saying this was a memorable day, I will never forget this either.

 

“This day has been very rewarding, very moving, one of the best days of my life to come back here.  I haven’t been back here in fifty years.”

 

The Mossbawn native was honoured with unveiling a special plaque for the school during the assembly.

 

“To have this plaque in the school is a great honour- this is as good as a Nobel Prize,” said Mr Heaney.

 

As a reminder of his visit, he presented the school with some of his poetry books, including a copy of his translation of Beowulf, which has recently been made into a blockbuster movie.

 

Heaney said: “What I’ll carry away from here is the memory of this day.   I am just overcome.”

 

The day concluded with a Gala dinner which was held in the Tullyglass Hotel, Ballymena.   The highlight of the night was the auction of three of Heaney’s manuscripts which he kindly donated.

 

Principal Danny Quinn  said: “It was a fantastic night, we all really enjoyed it.   Seamus Heaney had an excellent rapport with the children during the day and the gala dinner at night was just the icing on the cake.”