Funeral of Belfast poet Michael Longley to take place

The ceremonial of acclaimed Belfast writer Michael Longley volition instrumentality spot later.

Mr Longley died successful infirmary astatine the property of 85 connected January 22.

His ceremonial is to instrumentality spot successful All Souls Church successful Belfast followed by a backstage committal astatine Roselawn Crematorium.

The writer won a fig of awards passim his beingness including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize, and helium was made a CBE successful 2010 arsenic good arsenic being awarded the state of Belfast.

Among his best-known enactment is the 1994 poem Ceasefire, inspired by the then-ceasefires successful his autochthonal Northern Ireland and the hunt for bid and reconciliation.

Mr Longley met the Queen erstwhile she visited Hillsborough Castle successful Co Down past twelvemonth for a poesy event.

Irish President Michael D Higgins led the tributes to Mr Longley aft his death, stating helium would “be recognised arsenic 1 of the top poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has agelong been my content that his enactment is of the level that would beryllium befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature”.

A ceremonial announcement for Mr Longley stated: “Michael volition beryllium remembered wide for his warmth, humour, friendship, intellect and his galore contributions to the arts connected the land of Ireland, successful the UK, and crossed the world.

“In particular, his fantastic poems volition stay with america always, providing comfortableness and a continuing adjacent transportation to him.

“His words volition unrecorded connected forever.”

Roisin McDonough, the main enforcement of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said the writer had been a “towering figure” of Northern Ireland arts for 60 years.

She added: “He was 1 of our genuinely large poets, 1 of the astir respected and influential of his generation, his sanction spoken alongside Heaney, Carson and Mahon, each of whom are sadly present nary longer with us.

“We person mislaid a guide, a friend, an inspiration. But his poesy volition last. And it volition beryllium cherished by generations to come.”

The writer is survived by his woman Edna and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah.