Heaney's vision of culture, with its sense of tradition, of classical civilization and of religion, is one which is and has been particularly to the forefront in Ireland. The reasons for this can never be fully discovered, and no attempt can be made here. What is more relevant is the fact that Heaney and Bragg were sitting beside each other, and in different countries. Bragg spoke of "this country" throughout, meaning the UK, and clearly had no sense that some people in the audience would have to get a ferry to go there. Heaney spoke of "this part of the country", meaning the northern part of the island of Ireland.

Is this an arts issue? Yes, of course. Arts policies in the North cannot be truly progressive unless they take cognizance of this cultural schism. "Northern Irish" is not a big enough cultural identity for most working artists, which means artists who live down the street from each other have different cultural identities.