Strokestown Poetry Festival

07/05/2026

RIP to Jim Hoban and sincere condolences to Grace, family and friends. Jim & Grace attended our festival for many years and always enjoyed the poetry and banter.

Saddened to hear that Dr Jim Hoban who with his wife Grace spent so many happy summers in Strokestown has sadly passed away in Seattle.
May he rest in peace.

05/05/2026

Heartiest congratulations again to Catherine Ann Cullen, winner of Strokestown Poetry Festival 2026 competition for her poem The Mother. Read the winning poem and all the shortlisted poems on our website:

https://strokestownpoetryfest.ie/strokestown-international-poetry-prize-2026-shortlisted-poems/
Photo credit: David Dolan

04/05/2026

We had champagne and rain, wabi sabi and pantoums - the Strokestown Poetry Festival just gets better and better. It was a terrific weekend of poetry and banter. So many repeat visitors too. There were so many comments too on our wonderful venueStrokestown Park and their marvellous staff who worked calmly and competently throughout the weekend.

30/04/2026

Our workshop is SOLD OUT but still tickets left for other events. Book here: https://strokestownpoetryfest.ie/all-tickets/
Some events are free so just come along and enjoy!

22/04/2026

Have you seen our 2026 programme of events yet? Tickets are selling well but plenty left. Book here:

Join Kate Beirne on accordion, Noel Sweeney on flute, whistle and saxophone, Mick Owens on guitar and Amanda Sweeney on fiddle.

13/04/2026

Congratulations to all of the poets shortlisted for this year's Strokestown International Poetry Competition. Special thanks to everyone who entered the competition. Read the shortlist and the poems here:
https://strokestownpoetryfest.ie/strokestown-international-poetry-prize-2026-shortlisted-poems/

06/02/2026

Polish your poems quickly ! Our competition closes at midnight tonight. Best of luck to all entrants. Details here:
https://strokestownpoetryfest.ie/

01/02/2026

Final few days for entering our competition. Our process of choosing a winner is quite unique because we have no filtering system- the judge reads EVERY entry anonymously. Best of luck to all our entrants. @ followers

25/01/2026

Did you know?
Vona Groarke from Edgeworthstown,(who is now Ireland Professor of Poetry )was the winner of our very first poetry competition back in 1999. You too can have a go ! Our 2026 competition in open now. details here:
https://strokestownpoetryfest.ie/homepage-2/

10/01/2026

Hey there, tag a poet who should enter our competition!