We had a great turn out to the third Matrix poetry event which was held at the Black Box in Belfast on Tuesday 21st February as part of the NI Science Festival.

Our panel of judges, Iggy McGovern, Jean Bleakney and Matt Kirkham judged over 120 entries to the main contest, and we were treated to readings of the judges’ favourites as well as a panel discussion on the relationship between science and the arts.

Matrix chair Dr. Bryan Keating said, “We may have hit upon the haiku as the best poem format for our younger generation of Digital Natives who love to tweet, given the number and quality  of the entries for the two phases of our competition. Thanks to our judging panel, the John Hewitt Society and the Northern Ireland Science Festival for all their support and hard work.”

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The winners were:

Winner of main prize – Kate Dempsey. Kate wins £250 and an engraved trophy for this haiku:

 

Runners up: David Butler and Ciaran Parkes, who both win £50.

 

And the winner of the second contest, which was for haikus tweeted during the event itself, was So.me.one, who wins £250 and an engraved trophy.

You can also see a selection on the shortlisted haikus here: