Wexford Student Wins Prestigious All-Island Poetry Aloud Competition

Luke Power, a student from Ramsgrange Community School in Wexford, was crowned the overall winner of the 2025 Poetry Aloud competition. The final, held at the National Library of Ireland on Friday, December 12, saw Luke's exceptional recital earn him the Seamus Heaney Poetry Aloud trophy. In addition to the overall win, Luke also claimed victory in the Intermediate Category, impressing the judges with his heartfelt and thoughtful interpretation of poetry. The Poetry Aloud competition, organised by the National Library of Ireland (NLI) and Poetry Ireland in partnership with University College Cork, challenges second-level students across Ireland to recite a prescribed poem from memory. This year’s competition saw 328 entries from schools across the island, with 20 finalists representing 13 counties, including Antrim, Kerry, and Wexford. For the first time in the competition's history, students recited a previously unpublished poem by the late Seamus Heaney. The poem, "Those Winter Evenings," is part of the newly published collection, The Poems of Seamus Heaney . Heaney, a long-time supporter of Poetry Aloud, had often praised the competition for its unique celebration of the spoken word and the cross-border engagement it fosters between Northern and Southern Ireland. The competition featured three categories: Junior, Intermediate, and Senior. This year’s prescribed poems included The Power of Words by Amanda Gorman (Junior), Among Treetops by Alvy Carragher (Intermediate), and Heaney's "Those Winter Evenings" (Senior). Luke's victory in the Intermediate Category was a standout performance, earning him praise from the judging panel. Dr. Audrey Whitty, Director of the National Library of Ireland, praised the competition as "a joyful celebration of the beauty found in speaking and listening to poetry," adding that the Poetry Aloud competition continues to highlight the importance of Ireland's rich poetic tradition. Liz Kelly, Director of Poetry Ireland, echoed her sentiments, commending the energy and passion displayed by the students throughout the competition. In recognition of their achievements, all winning students received a cash prize, and the teachers from the winning schools were presented with a €300 book token to enrich their school libraries. This year’s competition was judged by Dr. Audrey Whitty, Liz Kelly, and John Fitzgerald, poet and Adjunct Professor at University College Cork. The event serves as a highlight in Ireland’s education and cultural calendar, fostering a deeper appreciation for poetry among young people.