Whenever we're asked for advice on writing poetry, we always say the same two words: read more. But what to read? Keeping it local, here's a list of anthologies dealing with Northern Irish (and Irish) poets, which we believe serve as great starting points. (All ISBN numbers refer to the paperback editions.)

The New North: Contemporary Poetry from Northern Ireland
Ed. Chris Agee
(Salt Publishing, 2011, ISBN 978 1 907773 03 7)
View an extract here

Anthology of Modern Irish Poetry
Ed. Wes Davies
(Harvard University Press, 2010, ISBN 978-0674049512)

Earth Voices Whispering: An Anthology of Irish War Poetry 1914-1945
Ed. Gerald Dawe
(Blackstaff Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-85640-821-2)

Magnetic North: The Emerging Poets
Ed. John Brown
(Verbal Arts Centre, 2006, ISBN 978 1898701606)

The Blackbird's Nest: An Anthology of Poetry from Queen's University Belfast
Ed. Frank Ormsby
(Blackstaff Press, 2006, ISBN 978-0856407963)

Modern Irish Poetry: An Anthology
Ed. Patrick Crotty
(Blackstaff Press, 1995, ISBN 978-0856405617)

The Penguin Book of Contemporary Irish Poetry
Ed. Peter Fallon & Derek Mahon
(Penguin Books Ltd., 1990, ISBN 978-0140586091)

Poets from the North of Ireland
Ed. Frank Ormsby
(Blackstaff Press, 1990, ISBN 978 0-85640-444-6)

The Faber Book of Contemporary Irish Poetry
Ed. Paul Muldoon
(Faber & Faber, 1986, ISBN 978-0571137619)

The Faber Book of Irish Verse
Ed. John Montague
(Faber & Faber, 1974, ISBN 978-0-571-11218-8)

Poems from Ireland (Poems of the World)
Ed. William Cole & William Stobbs
(1972, Thomas Y. Crowell Co., ISBN 978-0690638981)

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