a poetry competition
for post primary school students

The 21st of March we celebrate the International Day for the elimination of Racial Discrimination and World Poetry Day.

Waterford Integration Services (WIS), Waterford Area Partnership and Waterford Libraries are hosting Waterford’s 3rd Anti-Racism Month for the entire month of March. To mark and celebrate this, Waterford Integration Services alongside Waterford Libraries and Europe Direct, Waterford are launching a poetry competition for post primary school students.

Students of all years (first to sixth, transition year) are invited to submit one entry under the prompt “Show Racism the Red Card”.

How to take part:

To celebrate and mark Waterford Anti-Racism Month and with the theme “Show Racism the Red Card” submit your original entry to waterfordantiracistmonth@gmail.com or drop it in/post to Waterford Libraries for the attention of Sinéad Cummins before the deadline of Friday 28th of February 2025 at 4pm.

Poems can be any length you desire, and we ask that poems are typed and emailed in Word or PDF format or submitted to your local library as above.

Poems must be original and entirely the work of the student. Entries must not have been published, self-published or broadcast in any form prior to this competition.

The competition is open to all Secondary School Students and will be divided into two age groups. Each age group will have a winner and there will be one overall winner whose school will receive an author visit.

Group 1 –
Junior Cycle Students 1-3 year

Group 2 –
Senior Cycle Students – 5&6 +Transition Year

Along with your entry please provide the following details.
– Title of piece
– Name of Student
– Year of Student
– School of Student
– Contact Details (of school/teacher)

A panel of judges will select the winning entries. The judge’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into once decision is made.

Competition winners will be notified in March 2025.

The winning students and their families, teachers and friends will be invited to a small Awards Ceremony in March 2025 in the Central Library.

Submission of entry gives permission to Waterford Integration Services and Waterford Libraries to share the artwork on our websites and social media platforms.

Waterford Libraries and Waterford Integration Services reserve the right to refuse entries that contradict the ethos of anti-racism.

Winners may be asked to have their photographs taken regarding competition publicity.