Tara Bergin has been awarded the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Written, with her poem "The Fear," published in The Stinging Fly. This accolade comes with a £1,000 prize. Sarah Howe's collection, "Foretokens" (Chatto & Windus), won the Forward Prize for Best Collection, earning £10,000. Nur Turkmani's "October" (Hajar Press) received the Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection, valued at £5,000. Biff Smith was awarded the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed for "Dumbarton East." The winners were announced by host Joelle Taylor, alongside judges Sarah Moss and Michael Mullen.
Read More
Bergin, originally from Dublin, has published three poetry collections with Carcanet Press: "This is Yarrow," which won the Seamus Heaney Prize for Poetry; "The Tragic Death of Eleanor Marx," shortlisted for both the TS Eliot and Forward Prizes; and "Savage Tales," which won the Michael Hartnett Poetry Award in 2024. Stephen Sexton noted in The Irish Times that "Savage Tales" highlights Bergin's status as an exciting poet.
Ava Sedgwick has won The Moth Short Story Prize 2026, valued at €3,000, for her story "Tomorrow," following the withdrawal of Jeffrey-Michael Kane's entry due to a misunderstanding regarding the prize rules, as stated by director Rebecca O’Connor. Patrick Eades received second prize for "Octomum," and Mike Allen took third for "Bathtub." Belfast author Wendy Erskine praised Sedgwick’s story as a profoundly affecting love story. Sedgwick resides in Cork and holds an MA in creative writing from the University of Limerick.
Three authors from Ireland have been shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year: Maggie O’Farrell for her novel "Land," Louise Kennedy for "Stations," and Doireann Ní Ghríofa for "Said the Dead." The winner will be announced on November 26.
Additionally, the British Library is hosting its third biennial Irish Writers’ Weekend from November 27-29, featuring notable speakers such as Andrea Mara, Anne Enright, and Maggie O'Farrell. Many main sessions will be accessible online.
The Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast has appointed Marie Jones, Ian McDonald, and Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha as Seamus Heaney Fellows for 2026-27, allowing them to work with students and contribute to the center’s activities.
Beth Lew-Williams has won the 2026 Cundill History Prize, worth $75,000, for her book "John Doe Chinaman: A Forgotten History of Chinese Life under American Racial Law." This accolade was announced at the Cundill History Prize Festival in Montreal, recognizing her innovative research on historical discrimination against Chinese immigrants.
Fionnuala Ní Aoláin and Anne Charbord have signed with Prince Literary to co-author a nonfiction book addressing the legacy of ISIS and human rights challenges since 9/11. Maria Prince, founder of Prince Literary, lauded their insight and authority on the subject.