"Poetic justice" for Durrow student

A student from Our Lady’s Bower in Athlone is celebrating this week after winning an award in a major poetry competition.

With her poem ‘Free’, 13-year-old Grace Crossen from Durrow in Offaly, was recognised in the ‘Post-Primary Junior’ category of the 2018 Trócaire poetry competition.

The annual competition, in association with Poetry Ireland, uses the arts to raise awareness about the leading global justice issues of our time. 

This year submissions focused on the theme ‘Until Love Conquers Fear’, which examines the importance of showing support and solidarity with people facing hunger and injustice.

The 2018 winners, ranging from primary school pupils to published adult poets, were awarded their prizes recently at the National Library of Ireland.

Trócaire director Eamonn Meehan said: “It’s such a thrill for the youngest children here to have their work published in a booklet alongside well-known Irish poets.

For more information on the competition, including this year’s winning poems, visit www.trocaire.org.