The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, together with Queen’s University Belfast, hosted a special reception to mark the 70th birthday of two of Northern Ireland’s world renowned poets, Seamus Heaney and Michael Longley.
The drinks reception followed the Ulster Bank Festival at Queen’s concert in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall to celebrate the 70th birthdays of Michael Longley and Seamus Heaney. Readings by the poets were arranged around themes, including love, war and the natural world and complemented by the music of Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Elgar, Copland and Tchaikovsky.
Among those present were deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA, Arts Council Chairman Rosemary Kelly OBE, Arts Council Chief Executive Roisin McDonough and President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University Professor Peter Gregson, as well as members of the Culture Arts and Leisure Committee at Stormont.