Call for 2026 Entries Coming Soon

Held every year, the Cobh International Poetry Competition champions creativity, fairness, and community by inviting diverse voices to connect, inspire, and be celebrated.

The competition returns soon for 2026, inviting poets from Ireland and around the world to share bold, memorable work around our new annual theme. Entry will be free, judging will be blind, and winning and highly commended poems will be published in the first edition of The Great Islander journal.

Last year’s edition (2024) launched on Saturday, 11 May with the theme “Laugh Lines: A Celebration of Humor in Verse.” We welcomed international entries, emphasised a strong connection to the theme, and celebrated the winners and highly commended poets at the Commodore Hotel, Cobh, on Saturday, 15 June. Prizes included €100 for the Adult (18+) winner and €50 for the Youth (12–18) winner, with special gifts for runners-up.

We were delighted to host special guest Cornelius Patrick O’Sullivan, a comedian, improviser, writer, podcaster and poet; whose credits include Edinburgh Fringe, Kilkenny Cat Laughs, Republic of Telly and Sketch (RTÉ2).

This year we’ll build on that success with another accessible, community-minded competition. When entries open, you’ll be able to submit up to two poems (maximum 40 lines each) by email, include a short third-person bio, and we’ll anonymise all submissions before judging. As ever, previously published poems may be considered if they’re free to republish.

Full dates, the new theme, prizes, and event details will be announced shortly. Keep an eye on our website and subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss the launch. For queries, email cobhpoetrycomp@gmail.com.

Proudly supported by Great Island Creative Arts CLG.