Congratulations to Paudrig Lee on winning the Midleton Arts Festival 2026 poetry competition. The theme was ‘the webs people weave’.
You can read Paudrig’s winning poem Crown Shyness here: https://tinyurl.com/em8wytfw
Runner up Catherine Ronan’s poem The Unravelling is here: https://tinyurl.com/bdfxjdvh
Martin Burke was the highly commended runner up with India – night and day, which you can read here: https://tinyurl.com/56heavnb
Well done guys, amazing creativity. Thanks to all who entered and came to support the open mic event and thanks to Midleton Books for providing the book vouchers for the winners and the venue.
About the winner: Paudrig is an Irish poet based in Killeagh, East Cork. Raised in a family of nine in an agricultural and arboreal setting, he is passionate and committed to pursuing the craft of writing through poetry. Paudrig’s observation skills allow him to bring the ordinary into his poetry writing, sharing his passion for the beauty and ugliness that is in everyday life. His poems reflect nature, historical events and injustices, family dynamics and our very life existence. Visit paudriglee.com