My second poetry collection The Gift of the View (Revival Press) was recently launched by poet and Boyne Writer Michael Farry. Sincere thanks to him and to all who attended. Thanks to Meath County Council Arts Office and Creative Ireland for their support. The title of the collection comes from a poem written at Laytown Strand a few years ago called On Beauty.
I’m delighted to share that my poetry collection ‘The Gift of the View’ (Revival Press) will be launched on Sunday, 31st May at 6 pm in Swift Cultural Centre, Trim. Poet Michael Farry will launch the book. The cover is ‘Sunset on Royal Tara’ by Slane artist Pat Doyle.
To honour St. Brigid’s Day and the Bank Holiday in Ireland celebrating Lá Fhéile Bríde, Drawn to the Light Press is pleased to announce the third Little Fires of Brigid Poetry Competition. The competition is now open and closes on Sunday, 11th January 2026 at midnight.
1) Send poems to orla.a.fay@gmail.com using the subject line Little Fires of Brigid Poetry Competition 2026. Poems should be 40 lines or less and previously unpublished.
2) Poems should be on the theme of Brigid, Spirituality, Nature, Spring, Fire and Renewal.
3) Poems are judged anonymously and the poet’s name must not appear on the poems themselves. Details should be included on a separate page or in the body of the email.
4) There is an entry fee of €10 for a single poem entry. Poets may submit as many poems as they wish. Please include your PayPal reference number in your entry email. Those who wish to enter by post may do so by contacting the email address above.
The overall judge is poet and editor Orla Fay. Orla’s first full collection, ‘Word Skin’, was published by Salmon poetry in December 2023. She is the author of the chapbooks, ‘Drawn to the Light’, ‘What Became of the Horses’ and ‘Olde Songs for Sarah’. She is a former editor of ‘Boyne Berries’ and the founding editor of ‘Drawn to the Light Press’. Orla is a Poetry Town laureate for Dunshaughlin in Co. Meath. She holds a MA in Digital Arts and Humanities. Her poetry has been widely published and has won, or been placed in several competitions.
The winning poet will receive a cash prize and their poem will be published in Issue 17 of Drawn to the Light Press. A runner-up will also receive a cash prize and have their poem published in this February Issue.
Winners will be announced on Monday, 2nd February 2026.
Enter here https://drawntothelightpress.com/little-fires-of-brigid-poetry-competition/
The submission period for issue 17, February 2026 is now open. The window will close on Friday, 9th January at midnight.
The theme for this issue is ‘Spring’. As we approach the darkest days of the year the glimmer of new life and the turning of the light offer us hope and courage. Have you words to offer on resilience, rebirth, renewal, or growth? Do you like beginnings? What pleases you about spring? What are your memories of February and March? Do you console yourself in nature? If you do, send up to 3 poems of 40 lines or less. Submissions of art and photography are also sought.
Send all submissions to orla.a.fay@gmail.com
Please do send work in Times New Roman, font 12. Include your work in the body of the email and as a Word document attachment.
Send a short bio of 50 words or less, written in the third person.
Those submitting work should be over 18.
https://drawntothelightpress.com/submissions/
Begin
Begin again to the summoning birds
to the sight of the light at the window,
begin to the roar of morning traffic
all along Pembroke Road.
Every beginning is a promise
born in light and dying in dark
determination and exaltation of springtime
flowering the way to work.
Begin to the pageant of queuing girls
the arrogant loneliness of swans in the canal
bridges linking the past and future
old friends passing though with us still.
Begin to the loneliness that cannot end
since it perhaps is what makes us begin,
begin to wonder at unknown faces
at crying birds in the sudden rain
at branches stark in the willing sunlight
at seagulls foraging for bread
at couples sharing a sunny secret
alone together while making good.
Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
that always seems about to give in
something that will not acknowledge conclusion
insists that we forever begin.
Brendan Kennelly
Langston Hughes wrote,
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Entries are now invited to the ‘Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2025’. 10 shortlisted poems will appear in Drawn to the Light Press Issue 16 and the overall winner will receive a cash prize. Please send a single poem of no more than 40 lines (excluding the title) as an attachment to dreamspoetrycomp@gmail.com
Please ensure that your name is not included on the attached poem.
Name and contact details, along with the title of your entry and the PayPal reference number for your entry should be included in the body of the email.
Poems must be previously unpublished.
The competition closes on Sunday, 7th September at midnight.
Poems must be on the theme of ‘dreams’ and we look forward to your interpretations. The judge of the competition is editor Orla Fay. There is a €10 entry fee.
10 shortlisted poems will be announced on Sunday 21st September.
Entry here
https://drawntothelightpress.com/hold-fast-to-dreams-poetry-competition/
To honour St. Brigid’s Day and the Bank Holiday in Ireland celebrating Lá Fhéile Bríde, Drawn to the Light Press is pleased to announce the second Little Fires of Brigid Poetry Competition. The competition is now open and closes on Sunday, 19th January 2025 at midnight. Saint Brigid of Kildare or Saint Brigid of Ireland (Irish: Naomh Bríd; Classical Irish: Brighid; Latin: Brigida; c. 451 – 525) is the patroness saint (or ‘mother saint’) of Ireland, and one of its three national saints along with Patrick and Columba.
1) Send poems to orla.a.fay@gmail.com using the subject line Little Fires of Brigid Poetry Competition 2025. Poems should be 40 lines or less and previously unpublished.
2) Poems should be on the theme of Brigid, Spirituality, Nature, Spring, Fire and Renewal.
3) Poems are judged anonymously and the poet’s name must not appear on the poems themselves. Details should be included on a separate page or in the body of the email.
4) There is an entry fee of €10 for a single poem entry. Poets may submit as many poems as they wish. Please include your PayPal reference number in your entry email. Those who wish to enter by post may do so by contacting the email address above.
The overall judge is poet and editor Orla Fay. Orla’s first full collection, ‘Word Skin’, was published by Salmon poetry in December 2023. She is the author of the chapbooks, ‘Drawn to the Light’, ‘What Became of the Horses’ and ‘Olde Songs for Sarah’. She is a former editor of ‘Boyne Berries’ and the founding editor of ‘Drawn to the Light Press’. Orla is a Poetry Town laureate for Dunshaughlin in Co. Meath. She holds a MA in Digital Arts and Humanities. Her poetry has been widely published and has won, or been placed in several competitions.
The winning poet will receive €250 and their poem will be published in Issue 14 of Drawn to the Light Press. A runner-up will also have their poem published in this February Issue.
Winners will be announced on Monday, 3rd February 2025.
Enter here https://drawntothelightpress.com/little-fires-of-brigid-poetry-competition/
Langston Hughes wrote,
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Entries are now invited to the ‘Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2024’. 13 shortlisted poems will appear in Drawn to the Light Press Issue 13 and the overall winner will receive a cash prize. Please send a single poem of no more than 40 lines (excluding the title) as an attachment to dreamspoetrycomp@gmail.com
Please ensure that your name is not included on the attached poem.
Name and contact details, along with the title of your entry and the PayPal reference number for your entry should be included in the body of the email.
Poems must be previously unpublished.
The competition closes on Sunday, 1st September at midnight.
Poems must be on the theme of ‘dreams’ and we look forward to your interpretations. The judge of the competition is editor Orla Fay. There is a €10 entry fee.
https://drawntothelightpress.com/hold-fast-to-dreams-poetry-competition/
The submission period for issue 13, October 2024, opens on Wednesday, 31st July and closes on Saturday, 31st August, at midnight.
The theme for this issue is ‘Halloween’, encompassing all it entails from goblins to ghouls, to the beauty of nature and the dwindling year. Let your imagination free. It will be a supernatural issue 13.
This issue will also contain 13 shortlisted poems from ‘Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition 2024’, please see the entry page here
Send no more than 3 previously unpublished poems using Times New Roman 12 and single spacing. Include a short bio of 50 words or less, and written in the third person.
Submissions of art and photography on the same theme are invited.
Entrants must be 18 and over.
Send all entries to orla.a.fay@gmail.com
https://drawntothelightpress.com/submissions/
I'm delighted to launch my debut full length poetry collection, Word Skin, from Salmon Poetry. The event will take place on Sunday, 03rd December at 2 pm in Antonia's Bookstore, Trim, Co. Meath. The collection will be introduced by Boyne Writer, Michael Farry. I will read some poems from the book and sign copies.
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Issue 10 has gone to print and will be available to view online next Sunday, 29th October. Really excited to share this issue with everyone. It contains the ten poems shortlisted for Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition, and more. The print issue can be ordered online for a limited time here
https://drawntothelightpress.com/issues/
To celebrate the 3rd year anniversary of Drawn to the Light
Press this October, Hold Fast to Dreams Poetry Competition is
announced. Langston Hughes wrote
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
What dreams do you have? What do you aspire to? What colour
are your dreams? Do you vividly recall a dream? Do you daydream? What is it you
secretly wish you could have done? What do you intend to do? Will you act? What
is your passion?
The competition will be judged by editor Orla Fay. A top ten
poems will be included in issue 10 and the winning poet will receive a cash
prize. The competition closes on Friday, September 1st at midnight.
There is an entry fee of €5 per poem and poets may submit as
many poems as they wish.
Poems should be 40 lines or less and written on the theme of
‘Dreams’. Please attach the poem separately.
Poems will be judged anonymously and should not include the
poet’s name on the poem itself. A cover letter should include the poet’s name,
email address and title of entry.
Enter here
Issue 9 is now online and it can be read here
If you wish to order a print version, you can do so via PayPal on the website
https://drawntothelightpress.com/issues/
Submissions for issue 9 of Drawn to the Light Press, June 2023 are now invited. The window will close on Friday, 12th May at midnight.
Send up to 3 poems of 40 lines or less, using Times New Roman Font 12, single spacing. Poems should be previously unpublished. There is no set theme for the issue.
Submissions of artwork and photography are welcome.
Those submitting must be over 18 years of age.
Send all work to orla.a.fay@gmail.com
A Spring Night (in March)
What it is to be
alive,
to know this twinkling
ice of stars,
to know the burn
of untouched scars,
to riot with the
daffodil
when the light is
terrible,
and terrible
before the dark
the perfect time of
shudder-earth,
the birth of all there
is to care
in the vixen’s
stolen glare,
the rolling on of hours
when her warmth offers
flowering fruit,
and winter is, at
last, consumed?
Orla Fay
To honour St. Brigid’s Day and the inaugural Bank Holiday in Ireland celebrating Lá Fhéile Bríde, Drawn to the Light Press is pleased to announce a poetry competition. The competition opens on Sunday, 04th December and closes on Sunday, 08th January.
Send poems to orla.a.fay@gmail.com using the subject line Little Fires of Brigid Poetry Competition 2023. Poems should be 40 lines or less and previously unpublished. Poems should be on the theme of Brigid, Spring, Fire and Renewal.
Poem are judged anonymously and the poet’s name must not appear on the poems themselves. Details should be included on a separate page.
The overall guest judge is Siobhán Mc Laughlin, a poet and creative writing facilitator from Co. Donegal, Ireland. Her poems have appeared in Drawn to the Light Press, The Honest Ulsterman, The Waxed Lemon, Bealtaine magazine, The Ekphrastic Review, The Poetry Village and recently made the longlist for the Bangor Poetry Competition in September 2022. She has a MA in Creative Writing and works as a creative writing facilitator for adults, both online and in person, hosting writing classes and a series of writing for wellbeing workshops. She has previous editorial credits on the international literary magazine, Beyond Words and curates a collection of seasonal poetry on her blog www.a-poem-a-day-project.blogspot.com
The winning poet will receive €200 and be published in Issue 8 of Drawn to the Light Press. A runner-up will also have their poem published in the February Issue.
There is an entry fee of €5 for a single poem entry. Poets may submit as many poems as they wish. Please include your PayPal reference number in your entry email. Those who wish to enter by post may do so by contacting the email address above.
Winners will be announced on Monday, 6th February 2023.
Enter here https://drawntothelightpress.com/little-fires-of-brigid-poetry-competition/
Since it's Thanksgiving on Thursday, I've edited an older poem to share. I know that in the world there are too many who are not free from want.
Thanksgiving
Invictus
-
after Wilde & Henley
Struggling
for grace in morning’s prison
he wipes sleep from eyes, stretches
yet-darkness
before lighting a candle.
Enthralled
by beauty, the warbling flame,
dancing
shadows cast, he hums an old, familiar tune,
remembers
a friend he loved, heard joy,
sonorous
bass in lifeblood,
drumming
heart. This same ritual,
performed
for centuries. The pilgrim, home.
Day
stirring, frees herself, maiden
white
with mist, gowned for occasion,
her
grey veil gradually lifts, and there is bonniness
in
simple tasks while robins chirp reminders:
make
coffee, make toast, mix the Christmas cake,
how
good it is to breathe, taste, see.
There
is no gallow anon, no plank to walk.
This
is no Ballad of Reading Gaol.
Stronger
than any epoch is the resolve
that
spring will return, jungle of cornucopia.
Snowdrops,
previewed through dew,
in
New Year’s baptism, rise renewed.
Orla
Fay
Ed.
22/11/22
Hey blog, as usual it's been too long. So here's an update. I was delighted to win Fingal Libraries Poetry Competition 2022: Travel with Joyce:1922-2022, commemorating the centenary of the publication of Ulysses in Paris. The winning poems can be read here. Thanks to the judges Enda Coyle-Greene & Máighréad Medbh. I was also grateful to have been granted an Agility Award by the Arts Council of Ireland.
Issue 7 of Drawn to the Light Press can be read here. I had a poem published in Meath Writers' Circle Annual Magazine (The Tinder Stick Road) and I have another forthcoming in The Stony Thursday Book, edited by Annemarie Ní Churreáin. Currently I am working on my debut full collection with Salmon Poetry's Jessie Lendennie. I'm sharing The Tinder Stick Road below and I'd also like to dedicate an older poem to my constant, and inspiring, Sarah.
The Tinder Stick Road
Do not expect the way to be easy,
that branches will not sharpen like knives,
that thorns will not adorn the middle ground.
From a past you no longer serve
be free. Set one naked sole after another
on the coals until they are doused.
Imagine the end, all the little endings
of the journey, the daily living.
Imagine that comfort in the hold of the rose,
the soft pink, and red, petals and folds.
Did any voyage ever begin with certainty?
Not Ithaka! Not Bethlehem! Not Jerusalem!
Look to the stars, to Polaris and Orion.
Never be dissuaded, so that they may orbit you
when seeking them in the glittering beyond.
Let the heavens swarm like bees in the godlike centre
of your existence, your heart writing clefs and quavers
in love for yourself, this life, this humanity.
I remember (love)
- After Rilke's You, You only, Exist
So long it has been but now and then
(and on dark winter nights)
it is with gladness of heart
that I greet the form of you
come back for an instant
to make me smile
like the flame from the fire
or a forgotten voice
resurgent
but you are gone,
far down the river,
whispering back so that I know
you were true, shadow
that cut deeper than any blade,
that raised my eyes to the sun
and laughing, suddenly you were done!
No thanks could be given. None at all.
But I take you with me to a blue sky
to the calligraphy of the birds
with pounding chests
drenched with rains of light
on their wings.
I'll be reading from Green Carnations, an anthology of LGBTQ+ poetry next Saturday afternoon at the wonderful Cork International Poetry Festival. The festival begins on Wednesday, 18th May and runs through to the 21st. Thanks very much to Patrick Cotter, director of Munster Literature Centre and John Ennis, editor of Green Carnations for asking me to be involved. I'll be sharing the stage with fellow contributors Diarmuid Fitzgerald and Leah Keane. The event will be moderated by Kate Moore at 4.30 in Cork Arts Theatre. More information here.
Tickets can be bought here.
Full programme of events here.
“Why the green carnation?”
The short answer is that it’s a symbol of Oscar himself. In 1892, Wilde had one of the actors in Lady Windermere’s Fan wear a green carnation on opening night and told a dozen of his young followers to wear them too. Soon the carnation became an emblem of Wilde and his group—no doubt aided by his having scandalized critics after the play by appearing on stage smoking a cigarette! Indeed, an amusing parody of Wilde was published in 1894 called The Green Carnation—and which the horrified author withdrew from publication during the Wilde trial because he felt it had helped bring Oscar down.
One poem I'll be including from Green Carnations is...
