The Moth Poetry Prize 2026
The Moth Poetry Prize is one of the biggest prizes in the world for individual unpublished poems. The prize is open to anyone over 16, and each year attracts thousands of entries from new and established poets from over 50 countries worldwide.
Prizes:
- First Prize: €6000
- Three Runner-Ups: €1000
- Eight commended prizes: €250
The four shortlisted poems are published in the Irish Times online.
The winners are chosen by a single judge each year, who reads the stories anonymously.
Previous judges include Claudia Rankine, Marie Howe, Deborah Landau, Daljit Nagra, Leontia Flynn, Billy Collins, Nick Laird, Warsan Shire, Hannah Sullivan, Fiona Benson and Nobel Laureate Louise Glück.
The Moth Poetry Prize is open to anyone over 16, as long as the work is original and previously unpublished. There is no line limit.
Entry fee: €17 per poem
Deadline: 31 December 2026