Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Some Good Poetry News

I got a really nice letter about three weeks ago from the organisers of the Féile Filíochta Poetry Competition in Dun Laoghaire, telling me that I had won third prize in the Adult English section for a wee scrap of a poem.

This competition is run every year: you can enter online, and it's free to do so - perhaps I might never have tried my wee poem only for that. I've been eagerly waiting ever since the letter came for the website to be updated before saying anything - not wanting to offend anyone.

Anyway, you can now look at the First, Second and Third prize winning poems and see what you think.

The prize awards ceremony is organised to coincide with the Poetry Now 08 festival, already becoming a big fixture along the lines of StAnza in Scotland.We are all going to Dun Laoghaire on the 4th of April to collect the cheque, read the poem and hear the other poems read. This is one occasion where the 'woman with six kids' brings them along for an airing, along with the hub!

14 comments:

belle said...

Yay! Well done and very well deserved.

Liz said...

Barbara, congrats, fantastic achievement...I entered but no joy...love the poem. Have a fab time on the big day...you lucky thing, you : )

S. Kearney said...

Congratulations, Barbara. I loved the poem - sad but charming. How exciting.

And are you performing any readings in Dublin this weekend? I'm there from this Friday to the following Wednesday. If you happen to be about, or know of some interesting literary things I can do. I'm staying in Parnell Square, close to the writers' centre and museum, which I will definitely spend time in. :-)

Unknown said...

Oooh S, you just missed me last night in Chapters in Parnell Street. You say you're in Dublin this weekend? I will try and contact you and come up on Sunday. We'll have our mini-Irish blogmeetle in Dublin!

Thanks Liz and belle - be back in more fullness in a day or so :)

S. Kearney said...

Hi Cailleach - Excellent! Sunday would be great. I can always get on a train and come somewhere closer too if that suits you better, and Monday (St Pat's day parade) and Tuesday are also goers if Sunday turns out too difficult. My email is seamuskearney@gmail.com. I'll reply with my mobile number. Yayyy. See you in Ireland!

Jon M said...

Wonderful stuff! A really touching piece.

Anonymous said...

Well, I preferred your concise, poignant 'wee scrap' to the two poems above it, Barbara. Upside down judging, I thought.

Emerging Writer said...

Congrats, Barbara, It's a lovely poem

I was feeling a bit miffed that I didn't win for a couple of days...then I realised, I never entered! Duh

Unknown said...

Thanks all! EW - that's a mistake I've often made ;)

Dick - that's a lovely thing to say!

Thanks Jon, Shameless, Liz and Belle... to win anything (even third place) is a really great feeling!

Rob said...

Hmmmm. I'm just getting a blank page at that link, but I'll try again tomorrow. In any case, congratulations!

apprentice said...

I love this poem, I remember you said it was a "found" one from working in a call centre and you told a touching story about it.

Well done!

Gatepost productions said...

The Borg all give their Collective approval *sigh of collective* to B7-of A215.

Well done Barbara ...

.... youngest son has now left Ireland after 2 years .... you can all sleep in your beds ... unless you bank with Bank of Ireland (he just wrote your Software!)

... I'm still writing, or will be if I can work out how to open my pen!!

John S

Unknown said...

apprentice - that's right! The story is longer than the poem :)

Telmis - how lovely of you to drop by. You say we're safe now... are you sure ;)

Eric Valentine said...

Loved your poem, so sad, so touching. Well done. :)