At the same time, submissions are also being accepted for the Hanna Greally Literary Awards, which take place every year in conjunction with the Festival. The Ger Hanily Memorial Cup will be awarded for the poem with the best sense of 'Pride of Place'. Previous entries to this competition were published last year in a volume entitled Roscommon in Reflection, which is available to buy online from The Manuscript Publisher (price €12.95 plus P&P).

Throughout 2013, Ireland will open its arms to hundreds of thousands of friends and family from all over the world, calling them home to gatherings in villages, towns and cities. Over 70 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry. The Gathering Ireland 2013 provides the perfect excuse to reach out to those who have moved away, their relatives, friends and descendants, and invite them home.