A NORTHSIDE student has a bright literary future after winning a prestigious national competition.
Róisín Finnegan, from Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf, has been announced as the winner of A Poem for Ireland.
The winning entry was received by Pamela Farrell, senior librarian at Raheny Library, and went forward as the Dublin City entry in the national final.
Thousands of budding poets in post-primary schools across the country were composing furiously since the beginning of the year, working on their entries for the national poetry competition for Ireland 2016.
The theme, ‘Your Ireland, past or present’ and the historic events of 1916 inspired large numbers to enter the competition.
The entries came in a wide range of poetic forms, from ballads, sonnets and odes to free verse, rap and even the occasional limerick. Poems were submitted in English, in Irish and in some cases in both.
Every entry went forward with the chance of being chosen to represent the school at a county final organised by the local public library service.
Each county final was held during March and the winners were selected by county judging panels of experts.
Each of these winning entries were then reviewed by the national judging panel and shortlisted to eight national finalists, who presented their poems at the Grand Final which took place in Dublin Castle.
On the day, each contestant had their moment to convince the judges and sway a packed audience for the chance to be the national winner and claim the €1,000 overall prize.
Despite some very stiff competition, Róisín was declared the overall winner. Secretary general of the Department of Education and Skills, Seán Ó Foghlú, presented her with her prize.
A Poem for Ireland is an initiative of the Local Government Management Agency, the Department of Education and Skills and the public library services of the local authorities and is part of the national Ireland 2016 centenary events.
Róisín’s poem, entitled ‘The Golden Years of the Emerald Isle’, is now mounted on the wall at Raheny Library for all to read.