Poets have until 5pm on Monday, 2 November 2026 to submit work for the next Stony Thursday Book. Limerick City and County Council’s September announcement names Vivienne McKechnie as editor of the edition planned for spring 2027. The call is open to local, national and international poets, rather than only to writers living in Limerick. [1][2]

The current guidelines allow up to three poems and ask for each submission in both .doc and PDF format. They explain that the PDF helps preserve a poem’s layout. The work must be unpublished and not awaiting publication elsewhere, and the accompanying biography has a 50-word maximum. Texts in another language need an English translation. [2]

Check the two versions side by side

Prepare the editable document first, then create the PDF and open it again. Compare line breaks, spacing, page changes and any special characters. A file that opens successfully can still have moved a stanza onto another page. Check the exported version rather than assuming it matches the document on your screen.

Use clear filenames so the two versions can be recognised as the same work. Keep your biography in a separate preparation note until you know where the portal requests it. The short limit is an opportunity to give relevant information, without inventing publication credits or treating promotional language as a substitute for a factual biography.

Read the submission conditions before sending

The council says entry is free and copyright remains with featured poets. It also states that submitting permits addition to its Stony Thursday mailing list and sharing relevant details to facilitate publication. Read those conditions on the official page before using its linked portal. Selection remains an editorial decision. [2]

If you need a reasonable accommodation, the call welcomes requests and provides the Arts Office contact details. Ask early enough to allow a response before the deadline. [2]

Once submitted, retain the final files and any acknowledgement. This guide explains the published call and a practical file-checking process; it does not submit work for readers, promise publication or suggest that meeting the format rules guarantees selection.