Prize money for prestigious Limerick poetry prize doubles
THE VALUE of a poetry prize in honour of Munster’s de facto poet laureate has doubled.
To celebrate the 20th year of the Michael Hartnett Poetry Award, Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) and the Arts Council have doubled the poetry prize winning pot to €8,000.
The award marks Michael Hartnett’s contribution to literature in English and Irish, as one of the great voices of the twentieth century in both languages.
The winning poet will be presented with the Michael Hartnett Poetry Award on October 6, 2022, the opening night of Éigse Michael Hartnett Literary and Arts Festival in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick.
This year the award will be for a volume of poetry in English, adjudicated by poets Kerry Hardie and Peter Sirr, both past recipients of the award.
“This is an important award, carrying the name of a truly outstanding practitioner in both Irish and English poetry,” Kerry Hardie stated.
She described the award as an “especially valuable endorsement.”
“This is a further acknowledgement that poetry matters, and we are delighted with this development,” said recently retired Limerick Leader journalist Norma Prendiville.
“We are certain that the late Michael Hartnett would have approved,” she added.
The closing date for receipt of application forms and submitted books is Friday, June 17, 2022.