Festival 2010

►What they said about it
►Festival programme
►Readers and musicians
►Shortlisted poems/English
►Shortlisted poems/Gaelic
►Judicial address

►About the Strokestown Poetry Festival
►The Festival past - May 2009
►Photo gallery - the director's cut
►Festival workshops

Poetry Competitions 2010
(Now closed - watch out for our 2011 competitions)

►Prizes
►Judges
►Rules
►Enter by post
►Enter online

Past poetry competitions
►2009 results and poems
►Previous years' competition results and poems

►Schools' poetry

►Contact

The Strokestown International Poetry Festival 2010
took place 30 April  ~ 2 May, Bank Holiday Weekend

Dear poets and visitors,

It was another marvellous festival, with a feast of poetry of every kind, and the atmosphere peculiar to Strokestown. This is what some of the participating poets and visitors said about it - click here.

One of the traditions of the Strokestown award ceremony is that before the judges each say a few words about the shortlisted poems and why they were selected, one of them gives a short address on poetry and adjudication in general. By popular demand I have now posted up on this website Sebastian Barker's address on the occasion.

The Strokestown International Poetry Prize 2010
First: Lawrence Kessenich, Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Angelus
Second: Julian Stannard, Hampshire, England: Soup
Third: Pam Zinneman-Hope, Dorset, England: Cave
The other poets shortlisted were, in alphabetical order: 
Gavin Bantock, Japan: White Russian; Heather Brett, Ireland: Bankrupt; Paul F. Cummins, California: The Simple Science of Wealth; Charles Evans, London: Emissary; ; Helena Nolan, Dublin: The Impossible Black Tulip of Cartography;  Robert Stein, London: Beethoven in Camden Town, February 1911.
Shortlisted poets attend the Strokestown International Poetry Festival and read a selection of their work, for which they are paid a reading fee of €400.
 ● Read the shortlisted poems here
 ● Think you can do better? Enter the 2011 competition! Details will be posted up in July and the competition will close on January 24th 2011

The following poems (in alphabetical order) did not quite make it on to the shortlist, but were highly commended by the adjudicators:
An Old Rake’s Prayer or Easter in Ballina, Aubade, Birth Days, Double First 1957, Dun Ban Her Fortress, Figs, Harriet and Hector, inlet, Jimmy Murphy, Koi Carp, Leavened Bread, Meditation, Moths Drink the Tears of Sleeping Birds, Rendering Ruins, Returning Home, Tea tasting, The Lonely God, To A Deaf Daughter, When the Words Came, Woman Entering House.

Duais Cholmcille / The Colmcille Strokestown Prize for poetry in Irish or Scots Gaelic
First: Simon O Faoláin Ómós do Marcus Aurelius
Second: Cathal Ó Searcaigh: Trí Choiscéim na Seirce
Third: Rody Gorman: Draghadh
The other shortlisted poets were, in alphabetical order : Lewis MacKinnon Par Pare Refero; Dáithi O hÓgain: Ráite Ós Íseal; Micheál O hUanacháin: Díth Cuimhne. 
Commended poems were: A Cluich Bach Uair Eile, Miann a Chlàrsair, Tìde, Làmhan Rùisgte, Fuasgladh.
Poets shortlisted for Duais Cholmcille attend the Strokestown International Poetry Festival and read a selection of their work, for which they are paid a reading fee of €400. The prizes will be announced and awarded at the festival.
● Read the shortlisted poems here.
● Think you can do better? Enter the 2011 competition! Details will be posted up in July and the competition will close on January 24th 2011

The Percy French Prize -
First: Sean Lyons, Tralee: Sunburnt in Fungerola
Second: To be posted up shortly
Third: To be posted up shortly
Dee Gaynor, Kent: Browned Off; Sandra Harris, Dublin: Twenty First Century Jesus;  Peter Goulding, Dublin: Revenge on the French and They Dissected my Poo on The Telly; Ian McDonald, Loughrea: The Namasutra; Michael J. Moriarty, Dublin: How are you; Martin Parker, Devon: So here's to you Mrs. Robinson.
The following poems (in alphabetical order) did not quite make it on to the shortlist, but were highly commended by the adjudicator: Election Manuscript; Housewife Poet; Jennings and the Whale; The Queen's visit to Ireland.
Poets shortlisted for the Percy French Prize attended the Strokestown International Poetry Festival and read their shortlisted poem on the night of Friday 30th April 2010, when the adjudicator announced and awarded the prizes.

Whether or not your name is among the shortlisted poets, we thank you for entering the competitions and hope you will enter again next year. The 2011 competition details will be posted up in July this year.

Merrily Harpur
Director

Strokestown International Poetry Festival
Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
www.strokestownpoetry.org
071 9633690 / 071 9633759

 "A tremendous festival, such a privilege and terrific opportunity to read with Big Names and meet fellow short-listed poets in such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere in the beautiful but homely Strokestown House. The gold on the wall paper glinting behind the poets reading in the evenings, the lambs peering in during the day-time readings, everyone sitting on the sofas, the lovely garden tour and the last night hoolie in the Victorian kitchen are some happy memories. I loved the way the whole community was involved…" Read it all at http://stephaniegreensblog.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html"

...A marvellous festival in a place that comprises one big house and two small streets like a pair of crossed pencils..." -  George Szirtes

"How do I begin to describe my most enjoyable literature festival experience to date?
A small town, with a big repossessed manor house in which to host events – ceilings two floors high; windows from floors to those ceilings; old oak panelling; roaring fires.  Generously provisioned reception parties at either end. An astonishing number of talented poets – from both Gaelic and English traditions - reading in the space of just three days... "  -  Ros Barber

"...I have never before encountered such a warm and inclusive atmosphere as I did in Strokestown... I was bowled over by the sense in which the involvement of the local community was integral to the event."   -  Chrissie Charvill