Poetry award winner to be announced at memorial literary weekend in County Waterford
The late Waterford poet, Sean Dunne. Photo courtesy Catherine Coakley
The Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens in Tramore, Waterford, recently launched a new national poetry award to honour the late Waterford poet, Seán Dunne.
The award competition attracted over 1,000 entries and from those, 15 finalists have made it through to the final stages.
The competition is being adjudicated by renowned writer, Thomas McCarthy, and announcement of the inaugural winner will form part of the Seán Dunne Literary Weekend which will take place from June 28 to 30.
The Seán Dunne Poetry Award was established and sponsored by Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, to recognise the work of the late Waterford poet and celebrate his literary legacy.
The award also marks the 10th anniversary of the Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens in the seaside town.
A close affiliation between Seán Dunne and the gardens was established on the discovery of his poem, 'A Shrine to Lafcadio Hearn', while the final garden, 'Journey's End', was being designed.
Dunne’s lines: 'Afterwards, he was a story still told, set firmly as rocks in a Zen garden', inspired the design which culminated in the reality of what it is today. The award, in essence, celebrates two masters of literature who at formative periods in their youth, spent time in the environs of Tramore.
This weekend's second annual Seán Dunne Literary Weekend, will form part of the Japanese Gardens', 'Tramore Legends and Lore Summer Festival'. The winner of the poetry award will receive €1,500, while the second and third placed entrants will receive cash prizes of €750 and €350, respectively. There will also be five 'Highly Commended', prizes of €50 each and five 'Commended' prizes of €25 each.
Events over the weekend will include the launch of a new book, 'The Highway Kind', by well-known Tramore writer, musician and actor, Derek Flynn.
There will also be workshops by writers Lani O’Hanlan and Derbhile Graham, under the banner of the very popular, 'Writers Gathering’.
A salon for individual writers and writers groups, it will be a forum for writers to join together to discuss their activities, share their work, enjoy interviews and discussions and join in a new garden literary tour in the afternoon.
Full details of the award, events for the literary weekend and the Legends and Lore Festival can be found on www.lafcadiohearngardens.com
