Listowel Writers' Week Poem of the Year

Winner 2023

Mary-O'Donnell, photo credit Mark Reddy   

Vectors in Kabul

Mary O'Donnell

Mary O’Donnell has worked professionally as a writer of poetry and fiction for over thirty years, as well as being a creative writing teacher at Maynooth University, Galway University, UCC, on Carlow University Pittsburgh’s MA course in Creative Writing, and at Dublin’s IWC. She has published seventeen books since 1990, most recently the chapbook Outsiders, Always, from Southword Editions, Cork. The first of her four novels, The Light Makers, was an Irish bestseller and her poetry and stories are frequently taught on university courses.

 

A collection of essays on O’Donnell’s work—Giving Shape to the Moment: the Art of Mary O’Donnell—appeared during 2018 with contributions by Spanish and Irish academics and writers. As a writer, she is grateful to have been able to pursue the calling she truly loves. She received a PhD in Creative Writing from UCC in 2019 and since 2001 she has been honoured by membership of Ireland’s affiliation of artists, Aosdána. (Photo credit: Mark Reddy.)

Explore the 2023 winners

TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year
Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year
Cookbook of the Year
Eason Sports Book of the Year, in association with Ireland AM
Dubray Non-Fiction Book of the Year
Bookselling Ireland Biography of the Year
The Last Word Listeners' Choice Award
Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Junior)
Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Senior)
International Education Services Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year, in honour of John Treacy
An Post Irish Bookshop of the Year
Foras na Gaeilge Irish Language Fiction Book of the Year Award
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year
Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year
National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year
Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year
Eason Novel of the Year