Call for entries for Strokestown International Poetry Competition 2026
Writers and guests at the launch of Strokestown Poetry Festival last year. Pic. Gerard O'Loughlin
The Strokestown International Poetry Competition 2026 has opened for submissions.
This year acclaimed poet and broadcaster Rachael Hegarty will be the judge.
Founded in 1999, this prestigious competition has celebrated the talents of many remarkable poets, including former winners such as Vona Groarke, Paddy Bushe, Maureen Boyle, and Jane Robinson. Last year, the talented Olga Dermott-Bond took home the award, adding her name to the impressive lineage of distinguished poets.
With a prize fund of €2,000, this competition will shortlist five outstanding poets, each of whom will have the opportunity to read their poem at the Strokestown International Poetry Festival 2026, taking place from May 1st-3rd. The winning poet will be announced on Sunday, May 3rd, and will be awarded a cheque for €1,000.
To enter, visit strokestownpoetryfest.ie and navigate to the ‘Poetry Competition’ section. The submission period is open now, and the deadline for entries is Friday, February 6, 2026th.
Dr. Rachael Hegarty, a Dubliner and multiple award-winning poet, brings a wealth of experience and passion to this year's competition. Her debut collection, Flight Paths Over Finglas, is a poignant homage to her roots. Following this, her critically acclaimed, May Day 1974, features powerful docu-sonnets dedicated to the victims of a tragic day in Irish history. In her third collection, Dancing with Memory, she explores the depths of memory through the lens of her mother's struggle with dementia. Her fourth collection, Wild Flowers on the Darndale Roundabout, draws inspiration from the global Fridays for Future movement.
