Listowel Writers’ Week Announce Shortlisted Poetry Collections for the inaugural Pigott Poetry Prize 2014
Five Irish Poets have today been announced as finalists for this year’s inaugural Pigott Poetry Prize for 2014. The €5,000 award will be presented to the overall winner at the Opening Ceremony of the festival on the Wednesday 28th May 2014.
Over 80 collections were submitted for the award prior to April and it was then the mammoth task of poet and critic John Boland and UK Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy to choose a shortlist of five.
The five poets and collections on the list are:
Sinead Morrissey – Parallax
Vona Groarke – X
Martin Dyar – Maiden Names
Matthew Sweeney – Horse Music
Maurice Riordan – The Water Stealer
Speaking about the shortlist, John Boland said, “It was very difficult to choose among almost 80 submitted books, many of them very fine and some exceptional, but I think our shortlist reflects the range, diversity and quality of contemporary Irish poetry.” UK Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy added that she “was particularly impressed by the stunning new work reflected in the shortlist, all of whom would be a worthy winner. I hope this marvellous new award goes from strength to strength.”
This new award for 2014, The Pigott Poetry Prize is for books of poetry written by Irish writers has been generously supported by industrialist and philanthropist Mr Mark Pigott KBE, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PACCAR Inc.
Speaking on the announcement of the shortlist, Mark Pigott said “We are delighted with the tremendous response to the Pigott Poetry Prize. The Shortlist books of poetry reflect our wonderful heritage as well as the infinite variety of Irish writing.”
