Queen’s University Belfast has revealed plans for a new £4.9 million landmark venue dedicated to the Seamus Heaney Centre.
The center is set to open its doors to staff, students, and the public in the early months of the upcoming year.
A Reimagined Space Close to Campus’s Heart
The new venue will be located within the listed buildings on University Road and Mount Charles, in close proximity to the main Lanyon Building on the campus.
This reimagined space seeks to honor the legacy of the Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, who inaugurated the original Seamus Heaney Centre in 2004.
Celebrating Seamus Heaney’s Legacy
The significance of this endeavor is underscored by Professor Glenn Patterson’s statement.
He expressed his pleasure in announcing this pivotal phase in the development of the Heaney Centre.
The new space aims to build on the center’s first two decades of academic and artistic achievements, with an eye on the future.
Professor Patterson emphasized the intention to create a center that confidently engages with the literary community and projects its voice globally.
A Multifaceted Center for Creativity
The forthcoming Seamus Heaney Centre will house an expanded poetry library, a spacious venue area, multiple teaching rooms, academic offices, workstations accommodating up to 30 students, and an exhibition section designated for the display of the Seamus Heaney archive, curated by Queen’s University.
Fostering Creative Writing Through Collaboration
One of the center’s ambitions is to facilitate the establishment of a Visiting International Seamus Heaney Chair in Creative Writing.
This underscores the commitment to nurturing creative writing and educational endeavors in line with Seamus Heaney’s legacy.
A Testament to Education and Philanthropy
Catherine Heaney, daughter of the esteemed poet and a member of the advisory board, conveyed the profound importance of the Seamus Heaney Centre for her family.
She noted that the center is deeply connected to her father’s educational journey, where he commenced his poetry writing, pursued studies, and embarked on his career as an educator.
Catherine Heaney views the center as a bridge between her father’s literary past and its future continuation.
Funding and Support
The project’s funding stems from a combination of the university’s capital development program and philanthropic contributions from individuals and organizations across the globe.
Helen Carrick, Assistant Director (Philanthropy) at Queen’s, highlighted the pivotal role that philanthropy has played in the center’s journey.
Notably, the original Seamus Heaney Centre was established in 2003 through a philanthropic gift from the Atlantic Philanthropies.
Several generous donors, including the Wolfson Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation, have contributed to raising an impressive £1 million for the new project.
The goal is to double this figure, supporting the center’s vision, which encompasses the establishment of an academic chair and an expansion of outreach activities with local communities and schools.