In his early works Heaney uses very direct and powerful words to describe scenery and actions in the poems. This is used to describe the land of Ireland that Heaney grew up in and the various happenings that he witnessed in his life. This feature is still present, but not quite as readily apparent as Heaney's later work. While not being overly confrontational or provoking, Heaney addresses political issues in his poetry. Heaney's poem, "A Lough Neagh Sequence," is dedicated "for the fishermen." In this poem it is clear that Heaney sympathizes with the traditional Irish way of life. This also implies then that Heaney sympathizes with the Catholic and nationalist ways of life. The poem is neither offensive nor antagonistic, but in stating that he feels sorry for the fishermen, Heaney is making a political statement (Foster 29).
Rita Zoutenbier also thoroughly covers the relationship between Seamus Heaney and Ireland in her piece titled, "The Matter of Ireland and the Poetry of Seamus Heaney." She says that Heaney's "rural background" in Ireland helped him with subject matter for his poetry and "his reading of English literature helped to shape his language" (Zoutenbier 51). When these elements were combined they resulted in a quite successful and highly acclaimed poet. Much of Heaney's early work focused on "personal memories and private experience" and has since extended to include "history and mythology and the origins of culture" (Zoutenbier 52). All of these things are based on his homeland of Ireland. From Heaney's first works there is a certain style that is evident in Heaney's poetry. Some of the characteristics are the "precise observation of physical phenomena, memory, a sense of unease and alienation, the search for roots, and the continuation of tradition" (Zoutenbier 53). All of this tends to be in relation to his Irish heritage and his childhood. The religious and political unrest in Ireland also comes into Heaney's poetry at times.
