Colaiste Ailigh student Niall Hannigan (15).
BY SEÁN P. FEENY
A LETTERKENNY teenager had the prestigious honour of reading a Seamus Heaney poem at a special event celebrating the late Derry poet in Dublin.
Niall Hannigan (15), a student at Colaiste Ailigh, read Heaney’s famous poem Mid-Term Break at The Dublin City Council/Poetry Ireland event Celebrating Seamus Heaney in the National Concert Hall on Wednesday night.
The son of Paul and Ann-Marie Hannigan was chosen to read the poem as the overall winner and recipient of The Seamus Heaney Poetry Aloud Award in the National Library of Ireland’s annual Poetry Aloud – Poetry Speaking Competition in 2013.
The event was the highlight of this year’s Dublin One City One Book programme and the city’s official tribute to the hugely popular poet who died last year.
Other guest speakers at the memorial concert include Irish President Michael D Higgins, poet Michael Longley, singer songwriters Paul Brady and Lisa Hannigan and none other than the legendary Paul Simon who was a close friend of Heaney’s.