Three poetry collections by Irish poets have been shortlisted for the 2019 Pigott Poetry Prize. The prize in its 6th year Ireland’s largest monetary prize for a poetry collection by an Irish Poet. The first prize has been increased from €8,000 to €10,000 and the two shortlisted finalists each receiving €1,000.
Over 60 collections were submitted for this year’s award and adjudicators Jo Shapcott and Ian McMillan had the task of picking the shortlist of three on behalf of Listowel Writers’ Week. Speaking about the adjudication, Poet Ian McMillan said “Adjudicating this competition has been an absolute joy; the craft, skill, ambition and magic in all of these books has underlined for me, as if needed underlining, that Irish poetry is in a very healthy state!”
Catherine Moylan, Chairperson of Listowel Writers’ Week revealed the shortlist. “It’s with great excitement that I announce the three shortlisted collections for this year’s 2019 Pigott Poetry Prize; these wonderful collections are..”
• Insistence by Ailbhe Darcy
• Now we can talk openly about Men by Martina Evans
• A Quarter of an Hour by Leanne O’Sullivan
The overall winner of the €10,000 prize will be announced at the Opening Ceremony of the 49th Listowel Writers’ Week on Wednesday 29th May 2019. Speaking of their sponsorship, Frank Hayes said “The Pigott Poetry Prize is sponsored by Mark Pigott KBE who said, “It is a blessing to be able to support this wonderful literary award and recognise the leading poets of Ireland. This is the 6th year of the Prize and the competition is world class. I would like to thank our adjudicators, Jo Shapcott and Ian McMillan, for their hard work and through review of all the entrants and congratulate them on their excellent selection of this year’s shortlist which showcases the beauty, diversity and strength of Irish Poetry”.
Now in its 49th Year, Listowel Writers’ Week takes place from the 29th May to 2nd June 2019 and features 3-day and 2-day creative writing workshops, masterclasses, a full programme of literary events including readings, lectures, panel events, theatre, art exhibitions, bus and walking tours and much much more. In addition the National Children’s Literary Festival runs concurrently and will present a series of family fun events around the theme of The Wizard of Oz. Full details of this year’s programme is now available online www.writersweek.ie
Guests appearing at this year’s festival will include;
Lemn Sissay, Douglas Kennedy, Tishani Doshi, John Kelly, Deryn Rees Jones, Colm Tóibin, Marianne Power, Andrew Miller, Alexandra Pringle, Fergal Keane, Orla Guerin, Elizabeth Day, Sinéad Gleeson, Nicole Flattery, Rick O’Shea, Roddy Doyle, Liz Nugent, Will Dean, Ian Maleney, Stuart Barnes, Marina Carr, Sarah Webb, Steph Booth. Authors attending the National Children’s Festival will include Sarah Webb, Dave Rudden, John Boyne, Roisin Meaney, Niall Breslin, Chris Judge and the always popular CBI Clinic.
The full festival programme will be announced in the coming weeks on
writersweek.ie
