Seamus Heaney is often seen as a poet who wrote about the land not just as a political entity but also a living physical organism, containing the material history of Ireland. In the present day, when writers are thinking about how to address concerns about the climate and navigating the space between material reality and the imagination, in Northern Ireland we still have that additional question of the concept of land ownership.

This relaxed showcase of thoughts and reflections on the theme of Land will bring together young people and adults associated with the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s. Children’s Writing Fellow, Shirley-Anne McMillan, will share her thoughts on how physical place has given rise to her own novels for young people.