Ulster Unionist Culture spokesperson Michael McGimpsey has expressed his deep regret on hearing the news of the passing of Nobel prize winning poet Seamus Heaney.
The South Belfast MLA said;
“Today is a very sad day for Northern Ireland. Seamus Heaney was the foremost poet of his generation and his talent rightly saw him receive international renown and a Nobel prize for Literature.
He was a man of huge personal integrity and his empathy and humanity were evident in both his poetry and his life.
He was living proof that someone from Northern Ireland could succeed on a world stage but the success he enjoyed did not change who he was and he never forgot his roots.
His wonderful poetry is his legacy to be enjoyed and admired by future generations.”