David Whyte Poet in Residence Award
Burren College of Art is pleased to announce that the Poet -in-Residence Award has been renewed in 2026, made possible through a generous donation by renowned poet, David Whyte. The award offers a four-week residency for a poet of official residency in Ireland, for the dates of August 31-September 25, 2026.
The aim of this award is to support a poet at any stage of their careers by giving them the time, space, and inspiration to develop their work in the unique environment of the Burren, and the creative community of the College. The recipient will have the opportunity to work alongside students and artists-in-residence, and will put on a reading to which the local community will be invited.
The winner of the 2026 David Whyte Poet in Residence Award is Alvy Carragher.
Alvy Carragher is based in Dublin. She grew up in Galway and Tipperary and has lived in Louisiana, South Korea, and Canada. She is the author of three poetry collections, most recently What Remains the Same (The Gallery Press, 2024), shortlisted for the Farmgate National Poetry Award. She was selected for Poetry Ireland’s Eavan Boland Award (2025–2026) and has received the Irish Arts Council’s Literature Bursary Award (2022 and 2024). She has also written an award-winning children’s novel and is currently working on her fourth poetry collection and a book of short stories.
About the Residency
The award recipient who will be chosen by David Whyte in collaboration with BCA and will participate in two remotely delivered advisory or conversational sessions with David during their stay. They will have their own private study room on the BCA campus, to which they will have 24/7 access.
The award also provides accommodation in our campus housing, which includes a private room in shared, self-catering housing. Additionally, the awardee will receive a 5000 Euro bursary.
Residents are welcome to attend College events during their stay, including visiting artist talks and exhibition openings, and to join in the campus community.
Application Process
Eligible applicants must be over the age of 18 and residing in Ireland.
In addition to completing the online application form, applicants will submit six pages of poetry of no more than thirty-two lines a page containing, in the six pages, a maximum of six poems. The six pages could be one poem or any number between that and six. Poem submissions may be uploaded through the application form where directed.
Applicants will also submit a link to a video performance of their poetry, either a previous public performance or one they have made themselves.
Applications can be submitted through the online form below and should also include a CV/Resume which includes any publication history.
The deadline for the 2026 application cycle was Friday, March 20, 2026 at 17:00pm Irish time. We are no longer accepting applications for this cycle
Questions: contact@burrencollege.ie