Exploring Heaney Through Folklore

Folklore is taught to us by the people around us. It stems from our communities, our friends and families. Looking at how Seamus Heaney wrote about and took a great deal of inspiration from growing up in the Irish countryside and all that it entails, we can see the influence of folklore in his work. Folklore can be found in his poetry in many ways, from clear and identifiable references to Saint Brigid to more subtle inclusions of local words.

Speech is a significant part of folklore and you can see it present in Seamus Heaney’s word choice. Heaney regularly included colloquialisms, slang and vernacular wording in his poetry. Vernacular language is the language spoken by ordinary people of a country, it does not always follow the formal rules of grammar in that country and it is present in Heaney’s work. Some examples of vernacular wording in Heaney’s poetry include, but are definitely not limited to, ‘hoke’ meaning rummage in “Terminus”, ‘buff’ which is Northern Irish slang for push or nudge in “Two Quick Notes”, ‘tuppence’ meaning two pence in “Casting and Gathering” and where he uses ‘glar’ meaning mud and ‘glit’ meaning the green slime on water in “Fosterling”.

These might seem like small examples but they are definitely important to note when looking at Heaney’s use of folklore. Word choice is a large part of folklore and it is not an accident that Heaney incorporates it into his work so heavily. He is writing with a specifically Irish tone often about experiences centred around an Irish upbringing. Vernacular language is an identifier as to whether you are part of a community or not and Heaney is indicating to his background in these cases. In the context of Northern Ireland where many aspects of your person pointed to the community you belonged to, vernacular is an important signal to consider.

In his work Seamus Heaney celebrated the craft tradition of Ireland which is very much rooted in folklore and you can see that in examples like ‘Thatcher’ and ‘The Forge’ and ‘The Seed Cutters’. In these poems Heaney is focusing on the intricacies of the work. Heaney mentions the material the thatcher uses, from his tools to the thatching itself. Heaney’s reference to the anvil in ‘The Forge’ being like a unicorn is a more obvious example of folklore within the poem as unicorns are mythical creatures but the underlying tone of the whole piece is truly an appreciation for the work and the people who did it. The same can be said for ‘The Seed Cutters’, Heaney was appreciating their work and the universal aspect to it. He celebrates facets of everyday life and that’s exactly what folklore is. Even though he was speaking from personal experience, a specific thatcher and a specific forge for example, these poems are still relatable and expressive of Irish folklore and life.

Along with celebrating craft work Heaney drew on Irish storytelling tradition with poems like ‘Fireside’ and ‘Maighdean Mara’. ‘Fireside’ is a great example of folklore in Heaney’s poetry as the poem talks about the impact stories can have. In this poem, Heaney is writing as a child, describing listening to adults talk and hearing the stories they would tell. It creates an image of how these stories come up organically and how they are passed on from one generation to another. They’re talking about seeing fairies, questioning whether the river was normal or they saw something otherworldly. The last line is really beautiful and you can see the question of belief that comes with these stories, Heaney is shaking himself out of the stories and the unsettled, sometimes spooky feeling they cause as the adults say goodnight.

‘Maighdean Mara’ focuses on the Irish mermaid legend and takes the reader through the structure of the legend, hitting its key components such as how the fisherman captures the mermaid and how she finds her magical cape so she can return to the sea. Heaney might be talking about a specific legend he knows but it follows the structure most mermaid legends do in Irish tradition and Heaney brings it to life very visually in the poem.

There are many examples of folklore in Seamus Heaney’s poetry and while this piece has covered a small number of them, it aims to bring attention to the way Heaney took inspiration not only from the Irish landscape and lifestyle but the stories, traditions and folklore that accompany it. Reading his poetry with this in mind can reshape how you see his poems and add a new layer to old favourites.