Author: Geethanjali R, Niranjan Patel J

Abstract: Seamus Heaney is a great poet rooted in Irish history and culture, his setting is pastoral, one which belongs to the world of nature and Irish heritage and. Heaney has raised the voice of the national identity of the catholic people and has also invoked the support of the protestant Irish community to help them recreate a prosperous Ireland of native traditions. The life of the Irish people at the farming level, rural habits and several other items happening in the day to day life of these people supply raw material for imaginary and symbolism in the poetry of Seamus Heaney. By picking up symbols from the experience of a childhood he reconstructs complete image of the Irish people living in Ulster region, a community of minority Catholics engaged in homely activities like farming, digging, churning etc., without much caring for attaining higher stations of life in political fields or in economic framework of the industrialized society. Heaney has raised the voice of the national identity of the catholic people and has also invoked the support of the protestant Irish community to help them recreate a prosperous Ireland of native traditions His symbols are homely but effective to the Irish life.

Keywords: History and culture, tradition, Irish identity, symbolism.

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.55.23