1.

The winner of this year’s award will receive €2,500.
There is also a second prize of €1,000 and a third prize of €500.

  2.

The award is open to poets, born in the island of Ireland, or of Irish nationality, or long term resident in Ireland. Manuscripts accepted for publication shall be eligible ONLY if the resulting collection of poems is NOT published before the judges’ decision is announced.

  3.

No previous outright winner shall be eligible to enter again.

  4.

The collection of poems in English must be original and consist of 20 poems. Individual poems should not be more than 40 lines.

  5.

The only works eligible are unpublished or magazine published work.

  6.

Two typed copies of the collection must be submitted with an entry form.

  7.

The author’s name should appear only on the entry form below and not on the typed copies.

  8.

The Patrick Kavanagh Society does not return manuscripts entered.

  9.

The adjudicators are Moya Cannon & Theo Dorgan. Their decision is final.

10.

The Patrick Kavanagh Society reserves the right to arrange with the poet a reading from their award winning poetry at the Annual Kavanagh Commemoration at Inniskeen on Friday 28th November 2008.

11.

The entry fee is €20.

The closing date for entries is Friday, 26th September 2008.