Irish poet Seamus Heaney has died after a long illness. The 74-year-old had a distinguished career in poetry - winning the Nobel prize for literature in 1995.

See his career in pictures below:

 Heaney speaking to the Swedish Academy in Stockholm in 1995

The Irish Museum of Modern Art hosted a celebration of his 70th birthday in 2009

Former President Mary Robinson presents Heaney with the Willie Bermingham medal on behalf of ALONE in 2010

In 2008, he was awarded the Cunningham Medalby the Royal Irish Academy in recognition of his exceptional literary and scolarly distinction & achivements

Heaney donates literary papers to National Library in 2011; seen here with Taoiseach Enda Kenny

He received the Ulysses medal from UCD back in 2011

Heaney is pictured as a bust of the late US Senator Edward Kennedy is unveiled at the Kennedy homestead in Co. Wexford earlier this year

Heaney & his wife Marie in 1995