Poet nominated for Forward prize

Seamus Heaney has been nominated for a prestigious poetry award

Northern Ireland poet Seamus Heaney has been nominated for a prestigious poetry award.

The Nobel Prize winner is among six other contenders vying for this year's Forward prize for poetry.

The County Londonderry poet's nomination is based on his 12th collection, District and Circle.

The other nominees include newcomer Kate Bingham for Quicksand Beach; Paul Farley for Tramps in Flames and Vicki Feaver for The Book of Blood.

Robin Robertson was also nominated for Swithering and Penelope Shuttle for Redgrove's Wife.

Bingham is a former teacher nominated for only her second collection.

Shuttle's work is a lament and celebration of the life of her husband, fellow poet Peter Redgrove, who died in 2003.

The winner of the £10,000 prize for best collection will be announced in October.

The shortlists for two other awards were also unveiled on Friday - best first collection and best single poem.

Full List of Nominees

Forward Prize for Best Collection (worth £10,000)

• Kate Bingham - Quicksand beach
• Paul Farley - Tramp in Flames
• Vicki Feaver - The Book of Blood
• Seamus Heaney - District and Circle
• Robin Robertson - Swithering
• Penelope Shuttle - Redgrove's Wife

Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection (worth £5,000)

• Tishani Doshi - Countries of the Body
• Bill Greenwell - Impossible Objects
• Ian Gregson - Call Centre Love Song
• Anne Ryland - Autumnologist
• Tim Turnbull - Stranded in Sub-Atomica
• Tim Wells - Boys' Night Out In The Afternoon

Forward Prize for Best Single Poem (worth £1,000)

• John Hartley Williams - Requiem for a Princess
• John Kinsella - Forest Encomia of the South-West
• Sean O'Brien - Fantasia on the Theme of James Wright
• Jacob Polley - The Cheapjack
• Fiona Sampson - Trumpeldor Beach
• Michael Arnold Williams - Blaenafon Blue