JOINT winners for this years Michael Harnett Poetry Award will be honoured at opening night of Éigse in Newcastlewest on Thursday April 14. Listowel’s John McAuliff and Doireann Ní Ghríofa from Kilnamona were recognised for their talented recent collections; each receive €4,000.
The judges for this year were Rita Ann Higgins and Gerard Smyth. In their citation for ‘The Way In’ by John McAuliffe, (Gallery Press 2015), Smyth said, “’The Way In’ consolidates the promise of John McAuliffe’s three previous collections. Keenly tuned-in to particular experiences of his own generation, he is a sharp eyed poet who catches the moods of domestic space and revels in the daily quotidian – nothing seems to escape him.”
In the citation for ‘Clasp’ by Ní Ghríofa (Dedalus Press, 2015), Rita Ann Higgins observed: “I trust this voice. I trust these poems. Earthiness and physicality jostle for position in ‘Clasp’. Doireann Ní Ghríofa is breaking new ground with her fresh, fearless approach to memory and motherhood, loss and love.”
The Limerick based prize winning author Donal Ryan will officiate at the press launch to Éigse Michael Hartnett 2016 on Monday 4. Red Door Gallery at The Square in NCW at 6pm for interested parties.
