Listowel Writers’’ Week Pigott Poetry Prize 2017

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This award is for the best collection of poetry by an Irish poet published between 1st February 2016 and 1st February 2017 and carries a prize of €5000 for the winning poet. This is the largest monetary prize awarded for a poetry collection and is available solely for Irish poets. The Award is sponsored by Mark Pigott KBE who stated that “It is a blessing to be able to support this wonderful literary award and recognise the leading poets of Ireland. I would like to congratulate our adjudicators Lavinia Greenlaw and  Deryn Rees Jones for selecting this year’s shortlist which showcases the beauty, diversity and strength of Irish Poetry”.

The winner will be announced at the Opening Ceremony of this years’ Listowel Writers’ Week on May 31st 2017 and where he/she will be presented with the €5,000 prize.
Festival Chairperson, Liz Dunn commented “The stellar rise of Irish poetry over the last year has been amazing. This is certainly reflected in both the quality and quantity of entries for this prestigious prize. I heartily congratulate each of the well-deserved shortlisted poets and look forward to meeting them at the festival in June.
The shortlisted collections are:-

Selected Poems by Vona Groarke
Published by Gallery Press

Parvit of Agelast by Máighréad Medbh
Published by Arlen House

The Seasons of Cullen Church by Bernard O’Donoghue
Published by Faber & Faber

Listowel Writers’ Week takes place between the 31st May to 4th June 2017 and will be officially opened by author Richard Ford. This year’s festival will feature the usual host of national and international authors and poets such as Colm Tóibin, Thomas McCarthy, Margaret Drabble, Alan Cumming, Enda Wyley, Peter Sirr, Akhil Sharma, M.J. Hyland, Graham Norton, David Szalay, Granta editor Sigrid Rausing, comedienne Helen Lederer, Paul Howard, Lisa McInerney, Fergal Keane and many many more. This year’s extensive programme includes events that celebrate the written and spoken word across all genres of the Arts.

For further information see www.writersweek.ie