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Great news for Northern Irish poetry today.ÌýTwo out of the six poets shortlisted for the are from here. Seamus Heaney for hisÌýnew collection ""Human Chain" and Sinead Morrissey for "Through the Square Window",Ìýthe same collection for which she was shortlisted for theÌýTS Eliot prize earlier this year.

Northern Irish poets have been here before. Ciaran Carson won the prizeÌýin 2003 for "Breaking News". The following year Leontia Flynn won Best First Collection for "These Days".

It's like a poetry version of that Kevin Bacon party game, based on the idea that other actors and the parts they've played can be connected to Kevin Bacon. Only this time it's Six Degrees of Seamus Heaney.

So (1)ÌýSeamus Heaney isÌýa former student of ÌýQueen's University Belfast

(2)ÌýIn 2003 Queen's University sets up the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry Ìý

(3) Ciaran Carson is Professor of Poetry at Queen's and director ofÌýthe Seamus Heaney Centre,

(4) Leontia FLynn is a research fellowÌýthere

(5) Sinead Morrissey is a lecturer in creative writing there too which brings me to the sixÌýdegrees.....Ìý

(6) Seamus Heaney

But I don't thinkÌýKevin Bacon need worry about losing his partyÌýgame to the Nobel Laureate for Literature! Ìý

Anyhow,Ìýthe Forward Prize for Best Poetry collection shortlist is:

• Seamus Heaney - Human Chain
• Lachlan Mackinnon - Small Hours
• Sinead Morrissey - Through the Square Window
• Robin Robertson - The Wrecking Light
• Fiona Sampson - Rough Music
• Jo Shapcott - Of Mutability

ÌýThe winner will beÌýrevealed on the 6thÌýof October.Ìý