The prestigious Red Line Poetry Competition attracts hundreds of entries from all across the island of Ireland annually and this year Poet Fiona Hanley from Bearna in Galway won second place for her poem ‘Frau Troffea’.
The Red Line Book Festival was honoured to have award-winning poet Aifric Mac Aodha to judge the competition entries.
The winners were announced on Wednesday, October 15th at the Poetry Night and Poetry Awards at The Red Line Book Festival, which took place last week in venues across South County Dublin.
Aifric Mac Aodha is the Irish-language poetry editor of Poetry Ireland Review. Her first poetry collection, Gabháil Syrinx (The Taking of Syrinx), was published by An Sagart in 2010.
Her work has been published in various magazines and journals, including POETRY Young Irish Poets. Her poetry has been translated to many languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish and Czech.
She has been awarded several bursaries by The Arts Council. Her latest collection, Old Friends, with translations by David Wheatley, was published by The Gallery Press in 2024. She lives in Dublin where she works for the Irish-language publisher, An Gúm.
The Red Line Book Festival is an initiative of SDCC Libraries and South Dublin County Council. Held in October each year, the festival celebrates the very best in local, national and international writing.
This year, the event took place from October 13th – 19th with over 40 literary events and an eclectic mix of established writers and new voices.
Highlights included a unique celebration of Jane Austen with Bridget Jones creator, Helen Fielding, ‘Longbourn’ author Jo Baker and ‘Reality Check’ Author Vickie Notaro; insights from Booker Prize winning author Paul Lynch and a reflection on Hector Ó hEochagáin’s life, career and passion for the Irish language.
Those with a keen eye on politics enjoyed Gavan Reilly’s exploration of The Secret Life of Leinster House, while award-winning authors RoisÃn O’Donnell and Xiaolu Guo invite audiences into their creative worlds, sharing experiences from their remarkable writing journeys.
Now in its 14th year, The Red Line Book Festival has grown to become one of the highlights of the cultural calendar.
It is more than a celebration of literature. It is a platform for dialogue, imagination, and diverse yet shared experiences and a time where readers and writers meet in fantastic local cultural spaces such as Rathfarnham Castle, Clondalkin Round Tower, Parthalán Place, Rathcoole Courthouse and many more.
From engaging discussions with authors to exciting workshops and performances, this festival creates a space for reflection, imagination, and community. See www.redlinefestival.ie for all events.
