Anahorish

by Seamus Heaney

Born in Castledawson in 1939

Died in Dublin in 2013
+ Irish poet.
+ Initially attended Anahorish Primary
School.
+ Won a scholarship at 12 to St. Columbs
College.
+ Studied at Harvard University and
Oxford University.
+ Won the Nobel Prize in Literature 1995.

+ Heaney attending Anahorish Primary

School and featured the townland in
many of his pieces.
+ Anahorish does not appear by name on
current Ordnance Survey maps
however is identified and memorialised
by Heaney and jealously guarded by its
inhabit

My place of clear water,

the first hill in the world where springs washed into
the shiny grass
and darkened cobbles
in the bed of the lane.
Anahorish, soft gradient
of consonant, vowel-meadow,
After-image of lamps
swung through the yards
on winter evenings.
With pails and barrows.
those mound-dwellers
go waist-deep in mist
to break the light ice
at wells and dunghills.

Anahorish
Themes

Looking back in time

Land references are instantaneously
made
The first hill in the world where springs
washed into the shiny grass and
darkened cobbles in the bed of the
lane.

Looking back in time

Heaney uses the land as a
representation of what he remembers,
using the landmarks he sees to inspire
his memories of his old primary school,
helping him delve deep into his past so
he can make sense of the present.

Reminisce
Heaney describes how the springs used
to wash into the shiny grass.
He is trying to remember aspects of his
school, in the hopes that he can
remember who he once was.

Loss
Heaney is unsure of who he is, taking
measures such as visiting his old
school and using the land to evoke
memories and rediscover himself.

Anahorish means a place

of clear water in Gaelic.
This poem is written
about an important place
in Heaneys past, this
place being his primary
school.

My place of clear water,

the first hill in the world
where springs washed into
the shiny grass.

This hints to his primary school, Anahorish Primary School, where

he was got his first taste of education and thus where he got his
inspiration.

My place of clear water,

the first hill in the world
where springs washed into
the shiny grass.

The first hill in the world = his Arcadia of first memory

Where spring washed into the shiny grass =

And darkened cobbles

in the bed of the lane.
Anahorish, soft gradient
of consonant, vowel-meadow.

This is a darker approach, as this can recall Heaneys bad

memories, possibly a young Seamus Heaneys growing awareness
of the darker parts of school and social life.

Heaney reflects on the word Anahorish and how the consonants

are not harsh sounding amongst the vowels. He constructs a
picture of a grassy meadow, where the meadow is the vowels and
the gradient of the climb is the soft sounding consonants.
It is a soothing mix of the soothing sounds of childhood before
adulthood, filled with strife.

 After-image of lamps
swung through the yards
on winter evenings.
With pails and barrows.

This can hint towards a recall of his youth.

 Those mound-dwellers
go waist-deep in mist
to break the light ice
at wells and dunghills.
Mist and ice are both forms of water, and Heaneys interpretation is
inspiration, however, the mist and liquid forms represent
inspiration which cannot be found, meaning that you have to put in
effort in breaking the ice, thus suggesting you have to work to find
your inspiration.

This poem focuses on

Heaney going back to
visit his old school and
going back in time to
make sense of the
present.