A second level student from Galway was among the big winners at the all-island Poetry Aloud competition – which involves reciting a prescribed poem from memory – the final of which was held at the National Library of Ireland this week.

Glenamaddy Community School student Shay Collins was runner-up in the Senior Category and was presented with a Poetry Aloud certificate by the Director of the NLI, Dr. Audrey Whitty as well as a €100 book token.

His school-mate Evan Fahey was also a finalist and was recognised at the competition on the day.

Organised by the National Library of Ireland (NLI) and Poetry Ireland, in partnership with University College Cork, this year’s competition drew 328 entries from schools across the island.

There were 20 finalists in this year’s competition from across 13 counties, from Antrim to Kerry and Galway.

This year’s competition saw students recite a previously unpublished poem, Those Winter Evenings, by the late poet Seamus Heaney. The poem is from the recently published collection The Poems of Seamus Heaney.

The Nobel Laureate was a supporter of the Poetry Aloud competition, citing the extraordinary way in which it seeks to celebrate the joy of speaking and listening to poetry, as well valuing the North-South dimension to this all island event.

“Poetry Aloud is a joyful celebration of the beauty to be found in speaking and listening to poetry,” said Director of the National Library of Ireland Dr Audrey Whitty.

“The National Library of Ireland’s extensive collection holds the work of Ireland’s most celebrated poets. We are privileged to hear students from all over the island recite their poems with such heartfelt expression and thoughtful interpretation,” she added.

This year’s judging panel included Dr Audrey Whitty, Director of the National Library of Ireland, Liz Kelly, Director of Poetry Ireland, and poet John Fitzgerald, who is also Adjunct Professor, School of English, University College Cork.

Pictured: Runner-up Shay Collins with Poetry Aloud judges Liz Kelly, Dr Audrey Whitty, and John Fitzgerald.