Dave Lordan's debut collection of poems, The Boy in the Ring, published by Salmon Poetry, is one of five books shortlisted for the prestigious Irish Times-Poetry Now prize for best collection of poetry published by an Irish poet during the past year.Dave was a Featured Reader at Over The Edge in February 2006 and he was shortlisted for the 2007 Cúirt Festival/Over The Edge showcase reading. We were also delighted to host a Galway launch of The Boy in the Ring in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop last October.
Also shortlisted this year are Out of Breath by Eamonn Grennan (Gallery Press); Secular Eden: Paris Notebooks 1994-2004 by Harry Clifton (Wake Forest University Press); Reality Check by Dennis O'Driscoll (Anvil Press) & Black Moon by Matthew Sweeney (Cape Poetry).
The winner of the €5,000 prize will be announced at the Poetry Now Festival, which takes place in Dún Laoighaire from April 3rd-6th/
Last year's winner was Seamus Heaney's District and Circle (Faber & Faber).