Closing date Thursday 22nd January, 2009

Poems in Category 1
The Strokestown International Poetry Prize

Poems in Category 2
The Strokestown Prize for a poem in Irish or Scots Gaelic

Poems in Category 3
The Percy French Prize for humorous verse

1. Entrants may submit an unlimited number of poems, in any of the categories, and each poem must be accompanied by a fee of €5 (£4 sterling or $5). We accept Euros, Sterling, US or Canadian dollars only. Personal cheques (made out to Strokestown Poetry Festival) or postal orders in Euros or Sterling are accepted. Otherwise payment should be in the form of a banker's draft or an international money order.

2. All poems must be the unpublished, original work of a living author. Poems must not have been previously published, self-published, published on a website or broadcast.

3. The poems must be typed or very clearly written in black ink on one side of the paper only.

4. The poems, and payment, should be firmly attached to the entry form. The name of the entrant must not appear on the poems themselves.

5. No alterations can be made to the poem once it has been submitted, and it is regretted that no entries can be returned.

6. The judges' decisions are final and no correspondence can be entered into regarding those decisions.

7. The judges' shortlists will be announced in mid March, and the prizes will be announced and awarded during the Strokestown International Poetry Festival, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, which will take place over the weekend of May 1-3 2009. Shortlisted competitors are expected to attend the prize-giving, and each will be invited to read a selection of his/her work at the festival for a fee of €300 plus €200 travelling expenses. A list of the prize-winners will be posted up on this website as soon as they are announced during the festival weekend. 

8. Copyright will remain with the competitor, but Strokestown Community Development Association reserves the right to arrange first publication or broadcast of selected poems as it sees fit.

9. Submission of a poem implies the competitor's acceptance of the conditions set out above.

CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO THE ENTRY FORM

The entry fee is €5 (or £4 sterling, or $5) per poem. 
All entries should be postmarked on or before Thursday 22nd January 2009, and sent to: 
Strokestown Poetry Festival Office, Strokestown, County Roscommon, Ireland.

Click on Judges 2009 to see who they are, and Prizes 2009 to view the prizes. Click on entry form to print one out to send along with your poems.  Entry forms can also be obtained by post from:
Strokestown Poetry Festival Office, Strokestown, County Roscommon, Ireland.  
Telephone: 071 9633759 (from overseas  + 353 71 9633759)

For information telephone 071 9633759 (overseas + 353 71 9633759)
or 087 2361794 (overseas +353 87 2361794)
or (UK) 01300 320064 (from Ireland 0044 1300 320064, from overseas +44 1300 320064)
E-mail: merrily[at]harpur.org  but substitute the symbol @ for [at]