Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death
Date: Sat 23rd Apr, 2016 | 13:26
Marking the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, President Michael D. Higgins said today, 23 April 2016:
"This 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare gives us occasion to recall the immense contribution of Shakespeare to world literature and especially to the English language.
Literature, in both our ancient Irish language and in the English language, has a central place in Irish culture and identity. Poetry and drama are especially important to us as a people, and it was important for me, as the first President of Ireland to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom, to visit Stratford and attend the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2014.
During that visit, I spoke of the influence of Ireland on Shakespeare and on the wider tradition of literature in the English language. That tradition continues today, and on this occasion of his quadricentennial, we celebrate how literature and in particular the genius of William Shakespeare help us understand our world and enrich our daily lives."