The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Heaney, Seamus. “Sloe Gin by Seamus Heaney: Poetry Ireland.” Poetry Ireland - Éigse Éireann, https://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/online-archive/view/sloe-gin.

Note that all parenthetical citations within the guide refer to the lines of the poem from which the quotations are taken.

“Sloe Gin” originally appeared in Seamus Heaney’s collection Station Island, his sixth full-length work. The poet considered it one of his most personal collections, exploring his relationship to the political upheaval happening around him in Northern Ireland. “Sloe Gin” is one of the shorter poems, in which the speaker opens a jar of infused gin left to mature in their pantry by a woman — possibly the speaker’s mother. Through this experience, the speaker is able to recreate a moment in time and engage with the world around them in a new way. This type of infused liqueur is a popular tradition in Britain and Ireland, with several high-profile competitions being conducted annually to this day.