Fingal Poetry Prize

Fingal Poetry Festival, which will take place from Sept 4^th – 6^th 2020 in lovely Skerries, are delighted to announce the Inaugural Fingal Poetry Prize.
Our judge is esteemed poet and writer, Mary O’Donnell
Deadline 30th June
First Prize €500
Second €300
Third  €200
Five additional short-listed poets will also be invited to read at an awards ceremony in Skerries and receive a reading fee of €100 each.
Our generous sponsor for the Fingal Poetry Prize 2020 is DHL Ireland.
For rules and details of how to enter please visit https://poetryatskerriesmills.com
Because I am so good to you, here are the highlights

•  Entry fee is €6 per poem. Paypal.
• Poems must not exceed 40 lines and be the original work of a living writer
• All entries must be submitted, on one continues document, as an attachment to
  poetryatskerriesmills@gmail.com with the title: Competition Submission as your Subject Header.

Poetry Day ireland

Poetry Day Ireland 2020, takes place on Thursday 30 April. Everyone is invited to join in and celebrate poetry’s very special place in Irish culture – traditional and new.

This year’s theme is ‘There will be time’. Time is universal in all of our lives. Whether we’re looking to the past, living in the ‘here and now’ or pondering what our future will look like.

If you’re thinking about organising a Poetry Day event but are wondering where to begin, Poetry Ireland will be hosting an Information Session in its Dublin city centre base on Tuesday 14 January at 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome to come along and learn more about planning and promoting an event for Poetry Day, with useful tips on event management, social media promotion and lots more.

Almost 150 poetry-related events took place on Poetry Day Ireland last year, in libraries, bookshops, arts centres, schools, hotels, nightclubs, bars, cafes and street corners from Kerry to Derry. Everyone is invited to join in and celebrate and we welcome all events and activities, large or small! 

iYeats International Poetry Competition

The iYeats International Poetry Competition 2019 is now open for entries! Hosted by Hawk’s Well Theatre since 2009, the annual event has won a prestigious reputation for the calibre of both entrants, and judges. 

The competition is open to all those who are sixteen years of age and upwards, with an prize of €500 for the winner of the General Category, and €300 is awarded to the winner of the Emerging Category for those aged between 16-25 years of age. 

Launched a decade ago, the poetry competition was initiated by the Hawk's Well Theatre to mark the 50th Yeats International Summer School, and the 70th anniversary of the death of W. B Yeats.

Following in the tradition of the previous years’ lauded panels, the judges for this year’s iYeats Poetry Competition are highly respected poet John F. Deane, and spoken word artist Rafeef Ziadah.

Reflecting the truly global impact of the competition, 2018’s winning entry ‘New York, It Had a Ring To It’ was written by Sighle Meehan from Galway, while the emerging category saw ‘Helen’ by Sarah Ang of Singapore, take the top prize. All the previous award-winning poems are available to read on the Hawk’s Well Theatre’s website.

The closing date for entries into the 2019 iYeats International Poetry Competition is Wednesday 3rd July, at 11am (GMT). As this is an online poetry competition, entrants can visit the Hawk’s Well website for further information on the competition terms and conditions and to upload and submit their entries.

Visit www.hawkswell.com/iyeats/poetry for further details.

Poems For Patience

Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust is seeking entries again for its annual poetry competition. The poetry competition is run in conjunction with the Poems For Patience series as part of Cúirt International Festival of Literature which runs from April 8th – 14th in Galway. 

Deadline: Friday February 22nd. 

The prize as part of the annual poetry competition includes: the winner will have his/her poem published and displayed on the Arts Corridor of University Hospital Galway as part of the 2019 Poems For Patience series. 

The poems, after exhibition on the Arts Corridor, are then displayed in waiting areas throughout Galway University Hospitals. 

The winner will also be invited to read his or her winning poem at the launch of the 2019 Poems For Patience at Cúirt International Festival of Literature in April 2019;  given a copy of their poem printed and framed as a Poem for Patience poster and invited to submit six poems for consideration to be a Featured Reader at the Over The Edge: Open Reading series in Galway City Library.

The aim of Poems for Patience is to provide access to poetry for patients, their families, staff, visitors and the wider hospital community. Waiting areas are used by patients and their loved ones on a daily basis, in outpatient clinics, going for scans, x-rays and other tests as inpatients.

The competition judge is Kevin Higgins. 

Poems entered in the competition should be no more than 32 lines long.

ENTRY FEE


To enter one poem the fee is €10. If you enter two or more poems the entry fee is €7.50 per poem i.e. to enter two poems it costs €15, to enter three poems €22.50 and so on.

Details here

Strokestown International poetry Competition 2019

The Deadline for the annual Strokestown Poetry Festival competition is fast approaching. Get your entries in soon and make it a good one!

1st Prize € 2,000
Plus a week-long residency at Anam Cara Writer’s and Artist’s Retreat

2nd Prize € 700

3rd Prize € 500
Reading fees of € 300 for 7 shortlisted poets

Deadline:7th December 2018

The 10 shortlisted poems will be published in the Strokestown Anthology 2019

Judges:

Jo Shapcott & Gerard Smyth

The John O’Connor Writing School Short Story Competition 2018

“The world of John O’Connor is a world of the freshly snedded turnip, the new-sawn plank, the sod shining under the plough. His gift is to render the life of the Mill Row in Armagh as deftly and definitively as Steinbeck renders Cannery Row or Bob Dylan Desolate Row”

Paul Muldoon

The festival, sponsored and supported by internationally renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Paul Muldoon, has a two-fold purpose. It aims to to celebrate and commemorate the life and works of John O’Connor as well as offering practical guidance and assistance to aspiring writers through its workshops and master classes in the various literary genres and writing for commercial purposes.

Entries are currently invited from aspiring writers for the third John O’Connor Short Story Competition. It is being held to commemorate the Armagh born writer whose impressive literary legacy includes a collection of short stories which still retain a timeless appeal.

Prize

The prize winner will be awarded a full bursary to attend the John O’ Connor Writing School and Literary Arts Festival which will be held in Armagh from 1^st to 4^th November, 2018, plus a cash prize of £250. The bursary prize allows the recipient to enjoy all events in the John O’Connor Writing School and Literary Festival 2018, and to attend one class in the writing genre of his/her choice. The winner will be notified by 2 October.

The winning entrant will be formally announced at the opening of the Writing school on Friday 2nd November, and will have the opportunity to read at an event on Sunday 4^th November 2018. Single room accommodation will be available free of charge to the winning entrant.

Ts & Cs

The competition is open to those 16 years and over. Short stories must be the original work of the author and not previously published or have received awards in other competitions. Entries must be in English and between 1,800 and 2,000 words in length. 

There is an entry fee of £10. One entry per person. 

Submit your entry online by 12.00 noon on 28 August 2018.

Find full terms and conditions, and online entry form on http://thejohnoconnorwritingschool.com

Poetry Divas at Inaugural Meadery Sessions

As part of the Kinsale Arts Weekend, the Poetry Divas will be bringing their poetry to the inaugural Meadery Sessions in Kinsale Mead Co. And there will be some super music two from Clonakilty musician and singer Chris Hayes.

An evening of local music, poetry and mead, as part of the Kinsale Arts Weekend. Hosted by Kinsale Mead Co, this is the first in-house event and is sure to be a celebration of talent from around West Cork topped off with a selection of meads fermented in the very meadery in which the event is taking place.

Performing at the inaugural Meadery Sessions at Kinsale Meadery.
Poets: Kate Dempsey, Maeve O'Sullivan, Niamh Bagnell & Amanda Bell of the Poetry Divas.
Musician: Chris Hayes
With mead tastings! a

Where: Kinsale Mead Co, 5 Barrack Lane, Kinsale (behind Lidl)
When: Friday 20th July 6:30pm
Free in (bucket for donations)

Poetry Divas at the West Cork Literary Festival

Poetry Divas bring their poems to the West Cork Literary Festival on Monday in the wonderful Organico café. Blurring the wobbly boundary between page and stage.

An afternoon of poetry and mead with the Poetry Divas. The Poetry Divas are a glittery collective of women poets who read their own poetry tailored to the event and audience. They promise a deliciously infectious show that’s bound to touch a nerve and blur the wobbly boundary between page and stage. 

Maeve O'Sullivan is a ninja of vaious poetic forms including the haiku and has published four collections with Alba Publishing. Amanda Bell’s debut poetry collection First the Feathers (Doire Press 2018) was shortlisted for the Shine Strong Award. Kate Dempsey makes mead and writes poetry; her debut collection The Space Between (Doire Press 2016) had a poem commended for the Forward Poetry Prize.

Waterford Poetry Prize

The Waterford Poetry Prize is open to all writers currently living on the island of Ireland.
This prize has emerged from the influence of the late Waterford writer Seán Dunne whose poetry still continues to inspire.
It is a condition of entry that prize winners will attend the announcement of the winning poems at a Festival event at the Waterford Writers Weekend on the evening of Friday 26^th October 2018 in Waterford city. Accommodation will be provided for the prize winners in a 4 star city hotel.

• A line limit of 40 lines applies
• There is no entry fee. 
• No more than one entry should be submitted by any individual.
• Deadline 4th August 

First prize is  €400 plus attendance at a designated writing course at the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore in 2019 (This prize valued €500 is non transferable and no cash alternative will be awarded in lieu).
Second prize €300                     Third prize €200.

The judge for the Waterford Poetry Prize 2018 is the poet Grace Wells.

Link here

Wigtown Poetry Competition

The competition closes on 8 June, with a prize-giving at Wigtown Book Festival (21-30 September 2018).  

McLellan Poetry Prize

Part of the McLellan Festival 31st August - 9th September 2018

​

This year's judge is Sinéad Morrissey.

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 1st prize £1500     2nd prize £300     3rd prize £150

6 commendations of £25

The competition closing date is 21st June 2018

Fee £6 for the first poem and £5 for each subsequent poem submitted on the same form.

Poems should be of no more than 80 lines (excluding title), in English and your own original work (no translations).

Link here

Edgeworthtown Society Competitions

Poetry Competition
Up to 5 entries at €5 each

• 1st Prize - €250 
• 2nd Prize - €100 
• 3rd Prize - €50 

40 lines per poem limit.

Short Story Competition. Entry €5

1st Prize - €250 & Deirdre Purcell Perpetual Cup

2nd Prize - €100 

3rd Prize - €50 

2,000 words max.
Deadline: 9th March

Link to enter here

Bristol Poetry Prize 2018

This competition is one of the longer poem competitions, up to 100 lines.

1st Prize: £600 plus an invitation to read your poem at Bristol Poetry Festival 2018
2nd Prize: £300
3rd Prize: £100
Open theme
Line restriction: 100 lines.
Judge: Helen Ivory (All poems will be seen by Helen Ivory)
Entry fee: £6.00 per poem

Deadline for entries: Midnight (GMT) Saturday 31st March 2018

Info link here

20 years of Strokestown

To celebrate 20 years of the Strokestown Poetry festival, they have a new competition.

To mark 20 years, there is a new competition for 20 lines of poetry, based on any of 20 picture prompts - with 20 prizes. The winning entries will be displayed alongside the images during the Festival, from May 3rd - 7th 2018.  

The poetry competition is available on-line, costs just €3 per poem, and will be judged by poet Noelle Lynskey, who will read all entries.

The first prize is €100, with 19 runners-up each receiving €20. 

Deadline: February 9th 

Entries can be less than, but no more than, 20 lines.

So let's be brief

More details – and 20 picture prompts- are available on https://www.strokestownpoetry.org/competitions-2018/2020-competition/ 

Flash Fiction Competition: Kanturk Arts Festival

This Year’s Kanturk Arts Festival takes place from Thursday 15th March to Monday 19th March 2018 inclusive.

Flash Fiction Prizes

1st €200, 2nd €75 and 3rd €25

The 2018 competition will be judged by novelist Denyse Woods.
Your Flash Fiction entry can be inspired by, suggested by or based on the image below, using no more than 500 words.

Terms and Conditions

There is no entry fee for this competition
Maximum number of words is 500
Your entry must be original and must not have been previously published in print or online, been broadcast or have won a prize.

Deadline: 10 pm Wednesday, January 31st, 2018.

A shortlist will appear on Kanturk Arts Festival page at no less than two weeks prior to Kanturk Arts Festival. Shortlisted authors will be contacted by email.

To enter online, click: Enter Flash Fiction Contest
and follow the instructions.

MAKE SURE YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS ARE NOT IN THE BODY OF YOUR ENTRY

(Judging is done anonymously.) Your entry and name are linked automatically when you enter. Receipt of entry will be by email only.

How to Enter by Post

Post to: Kanturk Arts Festival, Raveloe, Curragh Court, Kanturk, Co. Cork

All entries must be printed on one side of the page only in a reasonably sized type and using double spacing.

2018 York Literature Festival / YorkMix Poetry Competition

The prestigious competition, now in its sixth year, is established as a major national literary event.

The closing date for entries is February 25, 2018.

This year’s judge is acclaimed poet Andrew McMillan. There are some interesting comments on what he is looking for in a poem here.

The first prize rises to £600, with a runner-up award of £150, a third prize of £75 and a new, fourth prize of £50.
At the judge’s discretion, up to ten Highly Commended and 15 Commended poems will each win their writer a certificate.

The minimum entry fee is £6 for a single poem; £15 for up to two or three; £17.50 for four; £20 for five. There is no limit to the number of poems that can be submitted.
The award ceremony will be on a boat.

Link here

Winter Warmer festival Cork

Ó Bhéal's 5th Winter Warmer festival is this weekend, with 23+ poets, films from the Ó Bhéal International poetry-film competition, poetry interpreted through dance, accompanied by music and a closed-mic set for ten local poets.

Free Admission to all events
(€5 suggested donation)

Venue: The Village Hall Patrick’s Quay, Cork

The full programme is here 

If I could go, I'd recommend Friday 24th November 10.00pm – 11.15pm Brendan Cleary & Ken Marshall, Órfhlaith Foyle, Felispeaks, Stephen James Smith

and Saturday 25th 8.30pm – 9.30pm Stephen Watts,  Billy Ramsell, Adnan Al-Sayegh

but everyone will have their preferences so do check it out.

Doolin Writers’ Competition 2018

Doolin Writers’ Competition 2018 with a prize fund of €2500. Entries are now being accepted for Short Stories, Poetry and Flash Fiction 

Deadline: December 1st 2017. 

This year Doireann Ní Ghríofa will judge the poetry competition, Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen from Tramp Press will judge the Short Story and the Flash Fiction Category.

Meanwhile Hotel Doolin has confirmed the weekend of the 2nd-4th February for the 6th Annual Doolin Writers’ Weekend, County Clare will again play host to some of the country’s leading writers.

‘It’s a great opportunity for aspiring writers as well as literary fans and established authors to get together and mix, as Anne Enright, Irelands Laureate of fiction says, “there is no VIP room in Irish Literature,” and this is true also for the Doolin Writers’ Weekend, one of the key aspects of the festival for us is that it has the feel of a community with people joining  us here every year and just picking up where things left off, audiences and artists feeling at one and enjoying the communal spirit of the weekend.’ Donal Minihane- Event Organiser- Hotel Doolin General Manager

‘Doolin has long been associated with the arts, providing inspiration for musicians, painters & writers. Many of the greats spent time in Doolin, including JM Synge, George Bernard Shaw, Dylan Thomas, Augustus John & Oliver St. Gogarty. Post-crash Ireland is on the cusp of a new literary boom and we look forward to welcoming a new wave of bold and original writers to Doolin.’

Terms and Conditions

Entrants must be aged over 18 years.
No poet/writer may win more than one prize.
8 Shortlisted names in each category will be announced on Doolin Writers’ Facebook page at no less than 1 week prior to Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Shortlisted authors will be contacted by email. 2 winners in each category will be announced on the opening night of Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Winners will read their poem and excerpt from their story on Saturday night of the Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Accommodation and meals will be provide for winners and runners up on the Friday & Saturday night.
Poems, Flash Fiction and Stories must be entered separately.
Currency conversion for the purpose of this competition (subject to change): 10.00 Euro = £8.00 Sterling = US$14.00

POSTAL ENTRIES
For Postal entries please post your submission to Doolin Writers’ Competition Entry with a cover letter to have your name, email address and contact number and with the €10 Fee in a cheque or Postal order form made payable to Hotel Doolin. Your name and contact details must appear only in the cover letter and not the story or poem.

ONLINE ENTRIES
Click on the Submitable button on our website and follow the steps to upload your entry, your name and contact details must not appear on the entry uploaded only on the fields provided online.

Flash Fiction 1st Prize €500
Must be in English, must each be no more than 500 words (that does not include the title).
Must show title & story only, must not show writer’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted stories – Please note stories submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
Must be double spaced.
Must be the original work of the entrant.
Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).

Poems First Prize €1000

Must be in English, must each be no longer than 40 lines (that does not include the title).
Must show title & poem only, must not show poet’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted poems – Please note poems submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
Must be the original work of the entrant.
Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).
Three is the limit on number of poems you can submit; no alterations accepted after submission.

Short Story First Prize €1000

Must be in English, must each be between 1000-3000 words (that does not include the title).
Must show title & story only, must not show writer’s name or any other identifying marks on submitted stories – Please note stories submitted with the writers’ name or contact details will not be submitted to the judges!
Must be double spaced.
Must be the original work of the entrant.
Must not have been previously broadcast or published (in print or online).

Cuirt New Writing

The Cúirt New Writing Prize, in memory of Lena McGuire, is now open for submissions. The categories are poetry and short stories.

There is a €500 cash prize for the winner of each category and the opportunity to read at the Cúirt/Over the Edge Showcase event next April at Cúirt 2018.

This year, poet Jane Clarke will judge poetry and one of the founders of Tramp Press, Lisa Coen will judge short stories.

The youth strand of the prize ‘Young Cúirt’ is for ages 12‐17. The winner will receive €100 cash prize and will read at the Cúirt Labs next April.

Submission Guidelines (all categories)

• Poetry entries must consist of 3 poems under 50 lines each
• short stories may be up to 2000 words. 
• Entries in both English and Irish are welcome. 
•  Writers submitting work should not have had a collection published in the category in which they enter. This does not include the publication of single poems, stories or chapbooks.
• Submissions should be sent via email to info@cuirt.ie 
• An entry fee of €10 is applicable for each separate entry. Payment can be made via the Paypal button. 
• In addition to your work we ask that you include the following contact details: Name, email address, phone number, and the name of the Paypal account holder.

Deadline: for submissions is Thursday 25 January 2018 at 5pm.

Dublin Book Festival 2017

Dublin Book Festival 2017 is coming up fast (November 2-9th) and they have a variety of poetry-related events this year including

Lunchtime Readings: Debut Poetry Collections

With Amanda Bell, Brian Kirk and Emma McKervey in conversation with Lisa Frank (Friday 3 November, 1.00pm – 1.45pm)

Takin the Mic at DBF

With Tory Campbell, Rob Doyle, Colin Dardis and Geraldine O’Kane (Friday 3 November, 7.00pm)

Michael O’Loughlin with Dermot Bolger

(Saturday 4 November, 2.00pm – 3.00pm)

For children there is:

Hopscotch in the Sky (Age 8+)

With Lucinda Jacob and Lauren O’Neill (Sunday 4 November, 12.00pm – 12.45pm)