Waterford poet Ger Duffy wins prestigious award at Red Line Book Festival

Waterford poet Ger Duffy has been named the overall winner at the prestigious Red Line Book Festival Poetry competition. 

Ger's poem, 'Testimony of Soap' features words taken from testimonies of real survivors of the mother and baby homes. 

Coming from a shameful chapter in Irish history, mother and baby homes were set up throughout the country as a place to send unwed mothers. These were ran by the members of the Catholic Church from 1919 until 1996.

This is not Ger's first big achievement. The renowned poet has had numerous poems published across journals in Ireland, the UK, and the US.

The Waterford native also came first place in the Desmond O'Grady International Poetry Competition in April of this year. 

Ger, who works as a teacher, was also awarded Poem of the Year 2022 for her poem 'Sundays' by The Milk House, a rural writing collective, as well as many awards over the years. 

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The poetry awards which took place in Dublin, were judged by the award-winning poet, Patrick Deely.

Over 40 literary events took place in venues across South County Dublin during The Red Line Book Festival with an eclectic mix of established writers and new voices. 

It was a celebration of literature, storytelling, and creativity.

The Festival is produced by South Dublin Libraries and Arts at South Dublin County Council offering a programme of events and workshops that appeals to people of all ages and interests.