We would like to offer our wholehearted congratulations to Colin Dardis on winning The 13th Annual Bangor Poetry Competition, which is part of Aspects Literary Festival and Southbank Centre’s programme ‘A Poet in Every Port’. Colin’s winning poem ‘Bogwood’ topped the poetry poll, with public votes from all over the globe. Siobhán McCafferty’s ‘Admin Error’ received the second largest amount of public votes, making her this year’s runner up. This year’s extra special competition asked poets to send their best poems on the themes of ‘Root. Essence. Journey’. Overall, we received just over 1000 votes; and over 500 entries. Thank you to everyone who played a part… and well done to every longlisted and shortlisted poet this year!

WINNER

Colin Dardis                                Bogwood

RUNNER UP

Siobhán McCafferty               Admin Error

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Anne Rainey                                She Wrote, She Spoke

COMMENDED

Cathy Ryan                                  Love Story

SHORTLISTED

Ruth Foy                                        Autumn

Helen Hastings                          A storm of unusual violence

Frank Farrelly                           Roslevin House, Revisited

Shelley Tracey                           Candles

Catherine Kay                           On waking from another car journey nightmare (?)

Bern Butler                                  Tall Ships