Let your words fly...

The Foyle Schools Poetry Competition (2026) is the result of an innovative partnership between Creggan Enterprises (Revival Shared Space Programme), Guildhall Press, Colmcille Press and Little Acorns Bookstore, funded by the Executive Office (under its Central Good Relations Programme) and is aimed at showcasing the creative literary talent of our district’s young people.

Last year's competition (2025) received over 1200 entries from across 25 schools in the city/district. This year we hope to grow the competition further.

We are inviting each school (primary and secondary) to submit their entries across designated themes. Entrants must be 18 or under, poems should be kept to a maximum of thirty-two lines. Entries can be handwritten or typed. Entries can be posted as hard copy to: Creggan Enterprises, Ráth Mór Centre, Bligh’s Lane, Derry BT48 0LZ. They can also be emailed as a Word document to the competition email address (entries@foyleschoolspoetrycompetition.com).

All entries should be clearly marked: Foyle Schools Poetry Competition and each individual entry must include: the pupil’s name, class, teacher and year.

Deadline for receipt of all entries is Friday 6th February 2026.

The judges for this year’s competition will be come from a range of acclaimed literary backgrounds. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third in each Key Stage category, along with a number of special merit awards. All the winning poems will be published in book and poster form, with copies distributed to all the entrant schools.

The official launch of the publication and presentation of prizes will take place in the Ráth Mór Centre on the friday before World Poetry Day – Friday, 20 March 2026 at 11am. All competition winners and representatives from the relevant schools will be invited to the event.

As a direct challenge to the old adage: ‘Children should be seen and not heard’ – this theme encourages young people to speak their truth and raise their voices. What are pupils passionate about? What do they want to speak out about? What do they want to change about their community/world? When we talk about ‘voices’, we mean the many ways young people can express themselves and be heard. This could be about speaking up for what is right, telling your own story, or sharing the hopes and dreams you have for the future. Voices are important in building understanding between people – they help us listen to each other, respect our differences, and discover what we have in common. Through poetry, pupils can use their voices to celebrate diversity, kindness, and friendship, and to imagine a world where everyone has the chance to belong.

Choices are the decisions we make that shape not only who we are as individuals but also the kind of society we create together. As young people grow, they face choices that carry responsibility – whether to stand up for someone, whether to act fairly, or whether to remain silent in the face of injustice. With choice comes duty: to treat others with respect, to show compassion, and to think about the consequences of our actions. Sometimes choices are about moral judgement – deciding what is right or wrong when the answer isn’t always easy. They can also involve risk and reward, because every decision teaches us something about ourselves, even when we fail. In fact, failure is often where the deepest learning happens, showing us how to make wiser, braver choices next time. Through poetry, pupils can reflect on the responsibilities that come with freedom of choice, the courage it takes to choose inclusivity and tolerance, and the impact their decisions can have on building better futures / communities

Participate in a Workshop: As part of the Poetry Competition – The Revival Shared Space Programme is hosting a number of Good Relations Poetry Workshops through the local secondary/grammar schools, delivered by our skilled facilitator Grainne McCool. If your school wishes to arrange a workshop - please get in touch.