Poetry Competition to celebrate Irish/Scottish Gaelic Poetry
February 13, 2013
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge are delighted to announce that entries are now currently being accepted for the bilingual Gaeilge/Gàidhlig poetry competition, Comórtas Filíochta an Choirnéil Eoghain Uí Néill, which is now in its sixth year.
The competition finale will be held in Dublin on Friday April 19 2013 as part of this year’s Turas na bhFilí cultural exchange programme, which will see Scottish poets including the esteemed poet and Honorary Senior Lecturer at St Andrews University Meg Bateman, visit communities in the Mayo Gaeltacht and Achill island.
However all eyes will be on the successful poets from this year’s poetry competition who will perform at a unique Gaeilge/Gàidhlig poetry event on April 19th in the performance space ‘Cois Teallaigh’ on Kildare Street in Dublin, where the winners of the poetry competition will be announced.
The finale will be hosted by the popular Irish language novelist and broadcaster Alan Titley and feature performances of traditional music and songs from Scotland between readings.
A prize fund of €500 as well as the Corn Uí Néill trophy will be presented to the successful poet on the night. Renowned Irish language poet Gabriel Rosenstock and Gàidhlig poet Meg Bateman have been selected as adjudicators of this year’s competition.
The winner of this year’s Corn Uí Néill competition will be in the company of some of the top talent in the Irish language and Scottish Gaelic literary scene. Previous winners include Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuígh, Máire Wren, Prionsias Mac a‘Bhaird, Tadhg O Dúshláine and Niall Gordon.
The competition is free to enter but applicants are requested to read the rules prior to submitting any entries. Entrants are invited to submit up to three poems before the closing date on Friday March 15 2013.
The competition is a bilingual competition open to entries in the Irish language or in Scottish Gaelic but entrants must also include an English language translation of all poems submitted. The shortlist for Comórtas Uí Néill will be announced before the end of March.
Application forms and rules of Comórtas Filíochta an Choirnéil Eoghain Uí Néill can be downloaded on http://www.gaelport.com/comortasuineill.
For further information contact Sibéal Davitt sdavitt@comhdhail.ie or call 01-6794780.
This year’s Turas na bhFilí cultural exchange is a joint initiative of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Scottish arts body Fèisean nan Gàidheal with the proud support of Poetry Ireland and Colmcille.
Press release by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge
