Paul Hosford: Seamus Heaney put words on the limits of Ireland's influence abroad

The late poet's work, 'From The Republic of Conscience', is etched into a window at Ireland House in New York — it could be describing events at the United Nations a few blocks to the east

President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Simon Harris, and Tánaiste Micheál Martin chat before the opening session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Picture: Maxwell’s

The glass room where Micheál Martin cut the green ribbon has a window imprinted with the Seamus Heaney poem: From The Republic of Conscience.

The new Ireland House in New York rises above the green zinc roof of Grand Central Station, offering an iconic New York view of the traffic clogging Park Avenue to the south.