Nell Regan Awarded 2026 Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize

Irish poet Nell Regan has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize. This prize is awarded to an Irish poet once every four years by the University of Melbourne, supporting an Irish poet to visit Australia for a period of research and writing.

Enroute to Melbourne, Nell Regan will be reading from and talking about Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf (Arlen House, 2026) at the Singapore Writers’ Festival.

Nell Regan was awarded funding by Wicklow County Arts Office in 2026 for 'Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf', her collaboration with the late artist Cathy Henderson inspired by 19th Century Japanese artist Hokusai’s celebrated wood block prints of Mount Fuji, offering images of the iconic Wicklow mountain by Henderson, with letterpress prints of Regan’s words by Mary Plunkett, and marking the publication of Regan’s new poetry collection, Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf (Arlen House, 2026). Associated events including workshops, readings and a panel talk accompanied the visual exhibition at the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray in 2026.

The Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize selection committee noted ‘Regan’s lucid, spacious and deeply evocative poems demonstrate a sensitive approach to place and experience. Regan’s strong interest in Australian poetry, historical and contemporary, and in its connections with Ireland, makes her particularly well suited to the purposes of the Prize. The judges were impressed by the openness and seriousness with which she proposes to engage with place, writers and literary communities in Australia.'

The Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize was established to commemorate the life and work of the late Vincent Buckley; poet, critic and professor of English at the University of Melbourne. The Prize has been made available through generous donations from family and friends of Vincent Buckley. Previous winners include John Montague, Enda Wyley, James Harper, David Wheatley and Susannah Dickey.

Commenting on the prize, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Cllr. Dr. Caroline Winstanley stated, “We are honoured that Nell Regan has been awarded such a prestigious prize, reflecting the high-quality artists working in County Wicklow, who share their creativity and artistry with the local community.”

Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council Emer O’Gorman noted, “Wicklow County Council are proud to have supported Nell Regan for her project ‘Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf’ which is an iconic part of the County Wicklow landscape and is a focal point for engagement and exploration."

Poet Nell Regan commented “I am honoured and thrilled to be the recipient of the 2026 Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize and am looking forward to bringing 'Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf' to the Southern Hemisphere! With thanks to Mermaid Arts Centre and Wicklow Arts Office for their support of the project and the book.”