It may be hard to believe, but 2018 marked the 20th International Poetry Festival in Strokestown, making it one of Ireland’s longest running literary get-togethers.   And today, Majella Hunt (Director of Services, Corporate Services, Roscommon County Council) officially opened the exhibition of 20:20 poems in the Áras an Chontae, Roscommon.

Last Spring we introduced an extra competition for poets to mark our 20th Festival, with a chance to win €100 and special place in Strokestown’s poetic history.

The idea was simple: writers were invited to view 20 picture prompts and, suitably inspired, create a new poem of 20 lines or less. The overall winner received €100, and 19 runners up each received a €20 prize.

The poems here in this exhibition are the 20 shortlisted poems of the 20:20 Poetry Competition.   Shortlistees ranged in location from Cork to California, and Massachusetts to Mayo

Aileen Shirra, Cumbernauld, Scotland took 1st prize in the Strokestown 2018 20:20 Competition, with her poem entitled ‘Home Birth’.         The exhibition, which is free, can be seen during official opening hours in the Áras.