Strokestown International Poetry Festival 2014   Dear Poets, The 2014 Strokestown International Poetry Festival is taking place this year from the 2nd. to 4th. May.  The closing date for entries is Friday February 28th. The 2014 Strokestown International Poetry Award, for poems in English on any subject not exceeding 70 lines is being judged by poets Paddy Bushe and Neil Astley, with a first prize fund of €2000. The Percy French Award for Comic Verse will be judged by the Strokestown Wit Committee.  The emphasis this year will be very much on fun and the judges will be looking out for comic and witty verse for which a prize fund of €1,000 is being offered. There will also be other activities over the weekend including the ‘world famous’ Strokestown Pub Poetry Competition. An entry form can be found on our website and the entry fee per poem is €5 euro/ £5 sterling/ $5 US dollars and you can enter online or by post.  Please visit www.strokestownpoetry.org for further details. We hope you will be able to be part of the festival this year & thank you for your support in the past. Our judges are eagerly awaiting your poems. Every good wish, Strokestown Poetry Committee