Catskill poet returns from West Cork Literary Festival in Ireland
Published on:
August 3, 2026
Allen Shadow is perhaps better known locally as Allen Kovler. Photo contributed.
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CATSKILL―Catskill poet Allen Shadow, perhaps better known locally as Allen Kovler, recently returned from reading his work at the West Cork Literary Festival in Ireland. He was invited by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins as one of the top 10 finalists, selected from 1,706 entries, in this year's Fish Publishing Poetry Prize.
His work, praised by Collins as "engaging" and cited by Library Journal for its "startling imagery," has received recognition in numerous national and international competitions, including the Bridport, Bedford, Neruda, Fish, and Emily Dickinson prizes. His first novel, Hell City, was published in 2012 by Blue City Media. His chapbooks include Harlem River Baby and America, I'll Have My Way With You.
His poetry has appeared widely in journals including Constellations, The I-70 Review, BoomerLitMag, and The New York Times.
“I've been writing since I was a boy and turned to poetry in high school and college, where I studied with Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet James Wright,” said Shadow.
Shadow went on to work at Columbia-Greene Community College, where he served as director of public relations for 36 years. While there, he earned more than 100 national awards for creative excellence in print and broadcast design.
The renowned West Cork Literary Festival―an eight-day celebration of words and ideas in Bantry, on Ireland's southwest coastline―attracts established and emerging international and Irish writers.
“Ireland was great, travelling from Dublin to Bantry, four hours south, on the sea,” said Shadow.
“I enjoyed the quant town, having fish and chips everywhere I could,” he added. “Also walked quite a bit in Dublin, crossing the River Liffey and penetrating the curling streets and boulevards, historic churches everywhere.”
