11 November 2026

Cúirt New Writing Prize 2027

The Cúirt New Writing Prize, kindly sponsored by Tigh Neachtain in memory of Lena McGuire, is now open for submissions.

There are four categories: Poetry, Short Fiction, Essay and Irish Language Poetry. 

This year we are delighted to announce John Patrick McHugh as the short fiction judge, Billy Ramsel as the poetry judge, Vona Groarke as the essay judge, and Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha as the Irish language poetry judge.

The winner in each category will be awarded a €500 cash prize and the opportunity to read at the 44nd annual Cúirt International Festival of Literature which will take place in Galway between the 20th and the 25th of April 2027.

We have changed the Irish Language category to rotate annually between genres, and we’re delighted to be accepting poetry entries this year, with Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha as judge.

Táimid i ndiaidh an duais sa chatagóir Gaeilge a athrú beagán. Anois, díreofar ar sheánra difriúil gach bliain. I mbliana, glacfaimid le hiontrálacha filíochta, agus beidh Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha mar mholtóir ar an gcomórtas.

Judges

John Patrick McHugh is from Galway. His work has appeared in The Stinging Fly, Winter Papers, Banshee, The Tangerine, Tolka and Granta and been broadcast on BBC Radio3. He is the Fiction Editor of Banshee. He is the author of a collection of short stories, Pure Gold (4th Estate, 2021), and a novel, Fun and Games (4th Estate, 2025), which was shortlisted for Irish Book of the Year 2025, selected as an Observer Best Debut Novel, and chosen as a Book of the Year in The Irish Times, Vogue, The iPaper and the Observer.

Billy Ramsell is a Cork-based poet and writer. He has published two collections of poetry with Dedalus Press, Complicated Pleasures in 2007 and The Architect’s Dream of Winter in 2013, which was shortlisted for the Irish Times Poetry Now Award and was recently published in Italian translation. He has been invited to read his work at many festivals and literary events around the world. A third collection, Render, a Poetry Book Society recommendation, was published by Banshee Press in June 2026 and has been shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize.  

Vona Groarke is Ireland Professor of Poetry (2025-28). Her ninth poetry collection, Infinity Pool, was shortlisted for the 2025 T.S. Eliot Prize. A new book of essays on poets and poetry is forthcoming in 2027.

Rugadh Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha in 1994 agus tógadh i gceantar an Lagáin in Oirthear Dhún na nGall í. Tá cónaí uirthi i nGaeltacht Chonamara anois, i ndiaidh di deich mbliana a chaitheamh i gcathair na Gaillimhe. Is é Solas Geimhridh agus Dánta Eile (Barzaz, 2023) an chéad chnuasach uaithi, agus tá Mainistir na Feola (Barzaz, 2025) díreach foilsithe. Bhunaigh sí an iris liteartha An Dearcán in 2025 agus is í an Scríbhneoir Cónaitheach Gaeilge in DCU i mbliana í.

Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha was born in 1994 and raised in east Donegal. She lives in Connemara these days, after spending ten years in Galway city. Her first and second collections, Solas Geimhridh agus Dánta Eile (2023) and Mainistir na Feola (2025) were both published by Barzaz. She founded the literary magazine An Dearcán in 2025 and in 2026 took up the role of Irish-language writer-in-residence in DCU.

 

Cúirt New Writing Prize Guidelines for Entry

  • Poetry/ Irish Language Poetry entries must consist of up to three poems under 50 lines each.
  • Short stories should be no longer than 2,000 words.
  • Essays should be no longer than 5,000 words.
  • Entry costs €12 in total which covers one piece of fiction, or one essay, or up to three poems.
  • Writers submitting work should not have had a full collection or book published in the category in which they enter (novel or short collection for fiction, poetry collection for poetry, essay book for essay); this does not include the publication of single poems, stories, essays, self publishing or chapbooks. If you have had single poems, essays or stories published, you are still eligible to submit.
  • The story, essay or poems submitted should not have been accepted for publication elsewhere.
  • There is no restriction on theme or style.
  • The judges’ verdict is final.
  • Work cannot be altered or substituted once it have been entered.
  • Judging is anonymous. Please do not include your name or contact details within the body or title of your submission.
  • Entries should be submitted as follows:
    • In a single document
    • In .doc or .docx format
    • Double spaced, in 12 pt font
    • Please title your submission in the following format ‘TITLE _CATEGORY’, for example ‘The Shift_SHORT FICTION’.
  • Entries in the body of an email will not be accepted.
  • International writers can enter the competition, but we are unable to  provide travel expenses to attend the 2027 festival, should they be successful.
  • Entries submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • Entry fees will not be returned if pieces are withdrawn after entering.
  • Entry is taken as acceptance of these rules.

Submitting Your Entry

Submissions will be accepted through Google Forms only this year. You can submit your work and details through this link.

Fees

The entry fee for each separate submission is €12. This can be paid through the Stripe link here.

It is important to us that the prize is accessible to as many writers as possible from all backgrounds around the world. Because of this, we are offering a limited number of subsidised entries. If you would like to be considered for this, please contact info@cuirt.ie as to why you require a subsidised entry (up to 200 words).

Closing Date

All entries for Cúirt New Writing Prize must be submitted by Sunday, 31st January 2026 at 8pm.
Contact info@cuirt.ie for any further enquiries.

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