Olga Dermott-Bond has been announced as our winner for 2025 for her poem
René Laennec Remembers the day he dreamt a stethoscope
Festival Judge, Jane Clarke, commented:
‘René Laennec remembers the day he dreamt a stethoscope’ – the winning poem is a sparkling tribute to the French physician and musician René Laennec who invented the stethoscope. Through gorgeous imagery, rhyme and rhythm the poem conveys the compassion, empathy and commitment that inspired his discovery. The metaphor of the patient’s heart beat as “distant muffled hooves” is surprising, yet perfect for this standout poem that pulses with life.
Pictured above are, left to right, Winifred McNulty, Olga Dermott-Bond (winner) & Paul McMahon.