Terms and Conditions:
- All entrants must be 16 years of age or over.
- The competition is open to anyone living on the island of Ireland.
- Closing date for ALL entries is Monday 7th September 2026. No entries will be accepted after this date.
- Entries must be entirely the original work of the submitting author. No AI-generated or AI-assisted content is accepted, and any violation will result in disqualification.
- Poems must not have been published either in print or on a website, nor be currently submitted or accepted for future publication.
- They must not previously have been awarded a prize in another competition.
- Entrants must not have published a full collection of poems at the time of entry.
- Entrants who have published a chapbook/pamphlet are permitted to enter.
- Please retain a copy of your work, as entries cannot be returned.
- Poems cannot be altered or changed after they have been entered.
- Poems are judged anonymously. The entrant’s identity must not appear alongside the poems.
- The adjudicator’s verdict is final and no correspondence shall be entered into regarding individual competition entries. Shortlisted entrants only will be notified. The shortlist will be announced on Wednesday 30th of September 2026.
- Winners will be announced at an event during the Red Line Festival in October 2026 where they will be expected to attend the event and read their winning poem(s). (Travel to the event will be at the entrant's own expense.)
- Copyright stays with the author but Red Line Festival reserves the right to publish winning and shortlisted poems on its website and/or in print.
- No employee of South Dublin Libraries may enter the competition.