Arlen House is honoured that
Maiden Names, the debut collection by Martin Dyar, has been shortlisted for the inaugural Pigott Poetry Prize, chosen by Carol Ann Duffy, UK Poet Laureate and literary critic John Boland.
The shortlist consists of:
Martin Dyar,
Maiden Names (Arlen House)
Vona Groarke,
X (The Gallery Press)
Sinead Morrissey,
Parallax (Carcanet Press)
Maurice Riordan,
The Water Stealer (Faber & Faber)
Matthew Sweeney,
Horse Music (Bloodaxe)
Listowel Writers’ Week is delighted to announce the five finalists for our inaugural
Pigott Poetry Prize 2014.
The €5,000 award is for books of poetry written by Irish writers and
has been generously supported by industrialist and philantrophist Mr
Mark Pigott KBE, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PACCAR Inc.
An astonishing 80 collections were submitted for the Award and
confirms that poetry is not only alive and kicking on our small island,
but positively thriving. Journalist and critic John Boland and UK Poet
Laureate Carol Ann Duffy had the mammoth task of choosing the shortlist.
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.”
On the shortlist’s announcement, Mark Pigott, whose family originated
in Listowel and emigrated to the United States in the late 1890s said,
“We are delighted with the tremendous response to the Pigott Poetry
Prize. The shortlisted books of poetry reflect our wonderful heritage as
well as the infinite variety of Irish writing.”
www.writersweek.ie
Maiden Names is available from www.kennys.ie, in both paperback and hardback editions, with free postage worldwide.
