An Fiach Dubh – Irish Language Poetry Competition

First Prize: Áine Ní Ghlinn  for Scáth                                                           

Second Prize:  Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird for Doirling

Third Prize:  Gormfhlaith Ní Shíocháin Ní Bheoláin for Sliabh na mBan    

Eoin McEvoy was Highly Commended for his poem Dubhfhiach

On the Saturday afternoon of the 2021 Fingal Poetry Festival, the winners of the Fingal Poetry Prize and An Fiach Dubh were announced during a happy ceremony in the Mills.  Along with the successful poets and their friends and family members, we were delighted to be joined by representatives from our generous sponsors for both awards, Maurice Meade, Managing Director of DHL Global Forwarding, and Michael Hoey, Managing Director of Country Crest, both of whom presented the prizes.

This year, for the first time ever, both first-placed poets also received a signed print by artist Deirdre McKenna. Depicting the raven, the mythical symbol of Fingal, both are limited edition (the only two in existence!) and were specially commissioned for the Fingal Poetry Festival.  

Moltóir / Judge: Aifric Mac Aodha

Tá Aifric Mac Aodha ag obair ina heagarthóir Gaeilge le Poetry Ireland Review, The Stinging Fly agus gorse. D’fhoilsigh An Sagart an chéad chnuasach filíochta léi, Gabháil Syrinx, sa bhliain 2010. Cuireadh dánta dá cuid i gcló ar irisí éagsúla, POETRY Young Irish Poets ina measc. Aistríodh a saothar go teangacha éagsúla, an Fhraincis, an Ghearmáinis, an Iodáilis, an Spáinnis agus an tSeicis san áireamh. Bhronn An Chomhairle Ealaíon mórchuid sparánachtaí uirthi. Is é Foreign News (The Gallery Press, 2016) an cnuasach is déanaí léi. Tá cónaí uirthi i mBaile Átha Cliath, áit a bhfuil sí ag obair ina heagarthóir cúnta leis an nGúm.

Aifric Mac Aodha is the Irish-language poetry editor of Poetry Ireland Review, gorse and The Stinging Fly. Her first poetry collection, Gabháil Syrinx (The Taking of Syrinx), was published by An Sagart in 2010 and her poetry has been published in various magazines and journals, including POETRY Young Irish Poets. Her work has been translated to many languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish and Czech. She has been awarded several bursaries by The Arts Council. Her latest collection, Foreign News, with translations by David Wheatley, was published by The Gallery Press in 2017. She lives in Dublin where she now works for the Irish-language publisher, An Gúm.