Six Poetry Collections Vie for 2026 PEN Heaney Prize
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Six Poetry Collections Vie for 2026 PEN Heaney Prize
- Six poetry collections have been shortlisted for the 2026 PEN Heaney Prize, an award celebrating poetry that addresses the impact of cultural and political events on human experiences.
- The winner of the third annual prize, which includes a £5,000 award, will be announced on December 1, 2026, in Leeds, England.
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The PEN Heaney Prize, now in its third year, has announced a shortlist of six poetry collections for its 2026 award. The prize recognizes a single volume of poetry published in the UK or Ireland that demonstrates outstanding literary merit and engages with the influence of cultural or political events on human conditions and relationships. This year’s shortlisted works include “Egrets, While War” by Tishani Doshi, “Mer de Glace” by Małgorzata Lebda (translated by Mira Rosenthal), “Dwelling” by Máighréad Medbh, “plastic” by Matthew Rice, “Pain Songs” by Daniel Sluman, and “October” by Nur Turkmani.
The judging panel for the 2026 prize consists of poets Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Vona Groarke, and Stephen Sexton, with Mick Heaney serving as a non-voting Chair, representing the Estate of Seamus Heaney. The PEN Heaney Prize was launched in April 2024 as a collaboration between English PEN, Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann, and the Estate of Seamus Heaney, honoring the late Irish poet. The award aims to celebrate poetry that resonates with Seamus Heaney’s own values regarding the poet’s role in public life and the power of poetry to respond to wider world events.
The prize carries an award of £5,000 for the winning poet. If the winning collection is a translation, an additional £5,000 is awarded to the translator(s). The winner of the 2025 prize was Tom Paulin for his collection “Namanlagh,” while Susannah Dickey won the inaugural prize in 2024 for “ISDAL.” The 2026 award ceremony in Leeds will mark the first time the event has been held in England, following previous ceremonies in Dublin and Belfast.