Michael Morrissey takes top prize with “Homeless” as the Darby Ryan International Poetry Final comes home to Bansha.
A Bansha man has won the 2026 Darby Ryan International Poetry Contest, bringing the top prize home to the village whose rich literary heritage inspired the competition. Michael “Mick” Morrissey, a Bansha native now living in County Laois, was announced as the winner at the final held in Templeneiry Old Church, Bansha, with his powerful composition “Homeless”. It was a particularly fitting result for a competition commemorating Darby Ryan, the renowned poet and bard from Ashgrove near Bansha, who died in 1855 and is buried in the grounds of Templeneiry Church.
The competition was inaugurated in Darby Ryan’s memory by his descendants John and Claire Grogan, who live in the United States. John Grogan, a great-great-great-grandson of Darby Ryan, who was in attendance on the night, was delighted with the response to the competition and the quality and diversity of the poetry submitted. He was particularly impressed by the range of people who took the opportunity to express themselves through poetry, with entries coming from many different backgrounds and circumstances, including an entry from a prisoner in Portlaoise Prison.
Six poets were selected to contest the final, with each having earned their place following the judging of the entries. After the final readings, Michael Morrissey was announced as the overall winner with Homeless. Aidan Michael Casey of Dún Laoghaire took second place, while Fidelma Nugent of Cahir was awarded third place. The other three finalists were Terri O’Mahony of Limerick, Judy Nolan of Tipperary Town and Julie Ryan of Galbally, Co. Limerick, who is originally from Emly.
Michael Morrissey: A Bansha Man Comes Home
For winner Michael Morrissey, the occasion represented a very special homecoming. Born in Bansha in 1956, Michael is a retired member of the Irish Prison Service and holds a BA in Training and Education. His interests have long included storytelling, drama, poetry and creative writing, but it was following his retirement that he began to devote considerably more time to developing his writing. He joined Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board creative writing classes in 2021, attending classes in Mountmellick, Abbeyleix, Portlaoise and Stradbally.
In 2023, he completed a Level 6 qualification in Creative Writing with Distinction. Since then, Michael’s stories and poetry have appeared in a number of publications and collections. His work has also been featured at literary and cultural events including the Power of Words Festival in Abbeyleix, Laois Leaves Festival and Spike Island Literary Festival. His book, A Galtee Mountain Boy, brings together short stories and poetry inspired by growing up in the Glen of Aherlow, while he is currently completing a new collection of 50 poems.
Michael’s poetry has also attracted recognition beyond Tipperary and Laois, with his work shortlisted in the Maria Edgeworth and Allingham poetry competitions in 2026. Reflecting on his development as a writer, Michael says it took time to find his own voice. Meeting other writers and sharing experiences proved invaluable, while he particularly acknowledges the inspiration and encouragement of his creative writing tutor Ryan Dunne. Creative writing, Michael says, has made him a sharper and more confident writer and has brought him to a place he could never have anticipated when he first began attending classes. Now, winning an international poetry competition in his native Bansha represents another remarkable chapter in that journey.
See here for further information.
And see here for more posts on Ben’s Poetic Licence blog.
