Waterford Poet Peggy McCarthy has been announced as the winner of the prestigious Fish Publishing Poetry Prize 2020 for her piece – ‘Father’. Billy Collins who judged the the contest described it as “a charming and haunting hinge poem, the balanced stanzas devoted to 2 photographs of a father.” 
He said “The poet’s craft and eye for detail act to ground a subject that could turn sentimental in less able hands.” Adding “On first reading, I wrote “Lovely” in the margin next to the title. On second reading “That it is.”
Well known in the theatre circle – Peggy is currently doing the M.A. in Creative Writing in U.C.C. and loving the opportunity to spend time with other writers. She was a primary teacher for many years. She loves hiking in the glorious Comeragh Mountains or swimming in the sea! Born near Skibbereen in West Cork, Waterford City has been home since childhood.
Father will be published in the Fish Anthology 2020 which was to be launched as part of the West Cork Literary Festival (July 2020).