2026 Highly Commended - Sinéad de Búrca

Congratulations to Sinéad de Búrca on being Highly Commended by this year's scholarship judging panel. 

Sinéad is a second year student of BA World Languages at UCC. Studying Irish, French and Italian, she has long been fascinated by words and their origins. She has found poetry to be the perfect vessel to explore worlds through words. Her first published poems appeared in the Fighting Words’ collection “Analecta”. Subsequently venturing into haiku, she won second place twice in Duais Bashō, judged by the late Gabriel Rosenstock. Her work has been featured in Iris Breac and the ANAM Filíocht collection “Grá”. She addresses a variety of themes from climate change and identity to the female experience and love. 

Sinéad aspires to bring others to creative writing so that we deepen our understanding of life through language, a beautiful ambition.

The judges had this to say about Sinéad's work - "De Búrca is a striking file with emotional depth and imaginative range. Moving between lyrical intimacy, philosophical reflection and wry humour, the work explores the unstable relationship between self and world with clear linguistic ambition and an insightful instinct for voice. The themes reminded us very much of Eoin's own, and we have no doubt that this writer has a very bright future ahead on the page."

Here we publish part of Sinéad's entry. It is worth noting that she is the first Irish language poet to be recognised by the Scholarship. The Irish language was very close to Eoin's heart, and it is great to see such work coming through.

Ar an mbealach go dtí an Trá Mhór

Déanach sa tráthnóna
Agus an spéir faoi cheilt
ag scannán bradach néalta liatha,
brúnn tú go mall 
ar throitheáin an rothair
le go ngluaisfidh tú lem’ ais -
labhrann tú ar social na mBreathnach
is ar an scléip ar an trá
a bhí ann ina dhiaidh,
is líonann tú mo chroí
le sámh is le síth.

Cuirim spéis 
ins an uile fhocal
a shleamhnaíonn go snasta
amach as do bhéal -
cluinim chuile shiolla,
agus tú imithe,
ar nós easa
ag rith mórthimpeall m’intinne,
ag éirí le réabadh
is ag titim le faobhar 
agus míle buille 
mar bhioráin shéimhe
do mo phriocadh.