On the lookout for Waterford’s top poets

The wildly popular Waterford Poetry Prize has opened for writers from all across the island of Ireland to submit their work with a chance of winning top prizes.

This prize has emerged from the influence of the late Waterford writer Seán Dunne whose poetry continues to inspire.

The winners of the Waterford Poetry Prize 2025 will be announced at the closing event of the Waterford Writers Weekend on Sunday, October 26, 2025.

Last year's winning poem, 'The Transgender Mirror', was written by Abhainn Connolly,  an American writer living in Dublin whose work was also longlisted for the 2024 Edinburgh Short Story award. They were additionally the recipient of a 2024 Emerging Artist bursary from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and won a 2024 Agility Award from the Arts Council of Ireland for their fiction and creative non-fiction.

This year the Arts Office is pleased to welcome poet, essayist and librettist, Jessica Traynor as adjudicator. 

Jessica is the author of three critically acclaimed books of poetry and poetry editor at Banshee. Her third poetry collection 'Pit Lullabies', was a Poetry Book Society recommendation. 

Her awards include the 2024 Tundish Award from Field Day for contribution to the arts in Ireland and the 2023 Laurence O’Shaughnessy Award for Irish Poetry. 

Her fourth poetry collection, 'New Arcana', is forthcoming from Bloodaxe Books in September 2025.

There is no age limit and no entry fee for the Waterford Poetry Prize 2025. 

First prize is €500 plus attendance at a writing course under the auspices of the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore. Second prize is €400, and third prize is €300. 

Closing date for receipt of entries is 12 noon on Friday August 15.