Winner: Robert Gray Prize for Poetry 2026

Last night we celebrated the award of the Robert Gray Prize for Poetry 2026 to Anita Liyanage, who writes and publishes under the name of Kirwan Henry.  Thank you, Anita, for your masterful and moving poem, and for agreeing to read it for us. 

Thanks also to five commended poets, to all who submitted poems for the prize, and, of course, to our judging panel who once again agreed to undertake this difficult but rewarding task: Judith Nangala Crispin, Tegan Gigante and Gareth Sion Jenkins.

We were delighted by the number and quality of the entries that we received this year, which “presented the judges with a challenging winnowing process, with an overall exceptional standard and astonishing range of perspective and style” (Judges’ Report).

All shortlisted poems will be published in the forthcoming third edition of our annual anthology, Oystercatcher Three, which will be published in January. Please keep an eye on our social media and website for further announcements on the release date.

If you were not able to get to the event at which the prize last night, the good news is that a recording is available below.

https://vimeo.com/1245379904

5Islands Press Managing Editor Dr Mark Tredinnick with winning poet Anita Liyanage, who writes and publishes as Kirwan Henry