What made you submit your work for consideration for the Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing?
I previously submitted Molly Maloney Circa 72 to the Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing in 2022; it was published in the companion copy ‘Across the Threshold’. In 2023, my poem Cosmic Dust appeared in the ‘Compass’ anthology. I don’t submit every year, but this year’s theme caught my attention; I had a poem ready to go, and if I remember rightly, I just made the deadline. At the time, the Seamus Heaney Award was the furthest thing from my mind; I would have been happy to have my poem included in the anthology.
What theme did you look at in the poem you submitted?
I tend to submit when a theme strikes a chord, and this year it did. The theme ‘Endure’ seemed to fit my poem's premise perfectly. Daughters of Lost Mothers explores the effects of fractured family relationships and a continual search for maternal connection. It also explores how that situation is endured throughout a lifetime.
How long did the crafting of the poem take?
I penned the first draft in less than ten minutes. It appeared out of nowhere, during a January Writing Hours’ workshop facilitated by poets, Kim Moore and Clare Shaw. My best work tends to come from the ether; then it’s a rush to capture the essence before it's lost for good; the finer details are dealt with at a later date: rearranging stanzas, tweaking syntax and adjusting line length if necessary.
How did you feel when you found out you were included on the Long List for the award?
I was pleasantly surprised. Even when I’m happy with a poem, I’m never sure if it will engage the reader. I tend to write when an idea or thought grabs my attention, sometimes daydreaming at the kitchen table or in a generative workshop, responding to a vague prompt; not always with the reader or the demands of the current zeitgeist in mind. So in this instance, I was very happy that the judges saw something in my poem that appealed to them and deemed it worthy enough for the longlist.
How was your experience regarding the event which launched the anthology, presented the long-listed poets and announced the winner of the award?
This was the first time I managed to attend the launch; I’m usually in England for Morecambe Poetry Festival at that time, but fortunately, this year’s dates didn’t clash. It was a great event in a superb venue, well attended and well organised. Everyone was so welcoming, and it was lovely to hear the other poets on the longlist read their work. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to read Daughters of Lost Mothers to an attentive audience and catch up with a few familiar faces afterwards.
Where to now regarding your poetic writing?
I am currently working on my debut pamphlet. This project has been ongoing since I completed my Masters Degree in Creative Writing at the end of 2024. Unfortunately, health issues have interrupted my progress on more than one occasion. Thankfully, those issues are now resolved, and I hope to put it out for publication in early 2027. Also, since I began writing poetry during COVID, I have been fortunate to be part of a large, vibrant poetry community at home and abroad and regularly contribute to open mic events in Northern Ireland, England, and online.To date, my poetry has appeared in a variety of publications, and my poem Punctured made the shortlist for the Aspects Festival competition in 2025.
To see more of Mary E Ringland’s work go to the link below
exquestation.substack.com/p/button-press-featured-poet-029-mary
