Lastly, family was an important part of Heaney's life. He married a woman named Marie Devlin in 1965. He would go on to have three children with her: Michael, Christopher, and Catherine (Authors).
Heaney's "A Kite for Aibhin" appears to be about at a father who is letting his child go off by himself for the first time. The poem appears to hint at Heaney being the father and he is letting his own child go out by himself in the real world. Heaney was a father of three, so it is likely that this story would be written about one of the three children leaving. Evidence that Heaney is the father and his child is the kite is when Heaney writes,
The longing in the breast and planted feet
And gazing face and heart of the kite …show more content…
Heaney appears to go through a rough time in his life that consists of depression. For example, Heaney writes,
But no vodka, cold or hot,
Aquavit or uisquebaugh
Brings the blood back to your cheeks
Or the colour to your jokes, (33-36)
This is saying how Heaney dealt with his depression, he tried drinking different types of alcohol to feel happy again, however, it would not work. This stage of Heaney's life was most likely not a long one. This stage of depression was most likely a time in Heaney's later teen years before he had his great success as a poet.
The poem takes a turn for the better when Heaney meets a girl who is most likely his future wife, Marie Devlin.
In a train in Finland we
Talked last summer happily,
Swapping manuscripts and quips,
Both of us like crackling whips (Heaney