Trócaire and Poetry Ireland appeal to people of Tipperary to enter poetry competition

Above: This Lent, Trócaire is helping families in Zimbabwe who are struggling with the effects of Covid-19 and climate change. After her husband died, Thandekile struggled to provide food for her two children, Nomatter (11) and Forward (8). Photo Credit: Cynthia R Matonhodze 

Trócaire and Poetry Ireland have launched their annual poetry competition and are calling for entries from Tipperary. 

Adults, both published and unpublished, can get creative and enter a poem or poems into this year’s Trócaire Poetry Ireland Poetry Competition, which is open to entries until Friday, May 6.  

This year marks the 12th year of the annual competition, which uses the arts to raise awareness about the leading global justice issues of our time. Poems in English or Irish are welcome in both categories (adults unpublished and adults published), with spoken word pieces actively encouraged as well as poems.  

The theme for this year is A Better Tomorrow. It explores how we can build a better tomorrow, all contributing as part of a global community. 

The effects of Covid-19 are still being felt throughout the world, particularly so in the developing world. And climate change makes us think, in a very real way, about the future of our earth and our society, and how we can come together to build a better tomorrow.  

Poets and spoken word artists are encouraged to explore the theme, from a local to global perspective.

The attractive prizes on offer include a choice of a two-week stay at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, County Monaghan, or a tablet or time in a recording studio to the value of €300 (for spoken word poets), plus a year’s subscription to Poetry Ireland Review. 

For more information, visit https://www. poetryireland.ie/education/ trocaire-poetry-ireland- poetry-competition/