Dying poet Heaney told wife ‘don’t be afraid’, son reveals

NOBEL laureate and poet Seamus Heaney’s last words to his wife were “don’t be afraid”, one of his sons revealed at his funeral.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Sep 2013, 01:01 BST
A mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus HeaneyA mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney
A mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney

Family and friends joined contemporaries and dignitaries of the world renowed writer and hundreds of mourners at a church in south Dublin to pay last respects yesterday to one of Ireland’s literary greats.

The internationally 
acclaimed 74-year-old writer 
died unexpectedly in hospital 
on Friday following a short 
illness.

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Mourners at his funeral at the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook – near where the Northern Ireland-born poet made his home – were led by his widow Marie and children Michael, Christopher and Catherine Ann.

A mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus HeaneyA mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney
A mourners lays his hands on the coffin of Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney

Michael spoke briefly at the end of the service to thank those who cared for his father and those who have offered support and praise since his death.

“His last few words in a text message he wrote to my mother minutes before he passed away were in his beloved Latin and they read – ‘nolle timere’ (‘don’t be afraid’),” he said.

Irish president Michael D Higgins, himself a published poet, attended along with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and former president Mary McAleese and her husband Martin.

Heaney’s body travelled the 125 miles north to be buried yesterday evening in his native Bellaghy in Co Derry – a village that inspired so much of his work.

Related topics:Seamus HeaneyMichael D Higgins