BBC Radio 4 LW

Desert Island Discs

Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Desert Island Discs: Seamus Heaney

19/11/1989

Seamus Heaney

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Seamus Heaney

Sue Lawley's castaway is Oxford Professor of Poetry Seamus Heaney

Sue Lawley's castaway is Oxford Professor of Poetry Seamus Heaney.

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is Seamus Heaney, a Catholic Ulsterman who has been acclaimed by many as the best Irish poet since Yeats. He was recently elected Oxford Professor of Poetry, and he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his idyllic rural childhood as the eldest of nine children, his transition to university life and the sources of his poetic inspiration.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] 

Favourite track: Quartet No 13 in B Flat Major by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Luxury: Doc Marten boots

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics. Over 900 programmes, as broadcast from 1946 – 2004.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Hurricane Hugo, Galileo, and the cranberry scare of 1959

Hurricane Hugo, Galileo, and the cranberry scare of 1959

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Hurricane Hugo, Galileo, and the cranberry scare of 1959

Is there any truth in the belief that the Galileo spacecraft is affecting the weather?

Hurricane Hugo and icy winds in the north, the effect of the Galileo spacecraft on the weather, and the great cranberry scare of 1959.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Hurricane Hugo, Galileo, and the cranberry scare of 1959

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4

About this data