Teesside University online student named the new Manx Bard

A Teesside University creative-writing student has been awarded a prestigious poetry title that recognises the Isle of Man’s best poet.

Each year the Island’s most worthy poet is appointed as Manx Bard through an annual competition that earns them this prestigious annual title.

Boakesey Closs, an MA Creative Writing & Well-being (Online) student at Teesside University was selected as the IXth Manx Bard.

This year's competition involved a range of performances and interviews, and she was unanimously selected by the judges, surpassing four other shortlisted poets, from the highest number of entrants ever received. Boakesey submitted three poems along with a proposal that closely resonated with her personal experience, delving into the theme of well-being.

She said: “I felt elated to win the competition. It was truly a ‘pinch me’ moment.

“When I got home, my inbox was full of invites from people to come and perform my work; judge various competitions and conduct writing workshops.”

Having previously been a runner-up in the competition, Boakesey is delighted to leave her mark in the world of poetry through this achievement.

Teesside University is one of the few UK universities which offers a qualification in Writing for Well-being.

This reason, and the fact that she was able to complete the qualification online from her home in the Isle of Man, were instrumental in her decision to study with Teesside University.

Boakesey credits the course with restoring her self-confidence and aiding her recovery from serious illnesses.

She said: “My course gave me self-belief. The feedback that I received from my tutors and my peer group has helped me improve my writing abilities.

“I suffer from imposter syndrome, and I tend to doubt myself a lot, but the University experience gave me a purpose.”

Boakesey, who has survived four strokes, believes that writing saved her life.

She added: “Writing gave me a purpose, using the power of words to heal has been liberating.

“I now wish to use my work to help and support other people who find themselves in challenging situations.”

Following the Manx Bard honour, Boakesey is contributing special poems to a monthly newspaper column, which she also writes and has been interviewed by various local radio stations. She has also received commissions for various events across the Isle of Man, including crafting a poem for Holocaust Memorial Day and another for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Dr Jenna Clake, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing, in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law said: “Congratulations to Boakesey for this amazing achievement.”

“As a University, which is committed to supporting students from all backgrounds and circumstances to access higher education, we are delighted that the flexibility of our online learning degree has meant that Boakesey has been able to benefit from our qualifications.”

“It is fantastic to see that the degree has had such an impact upon her writing and personal development. We’re extremely proud of Boakesey’s achievement, and we look forward to reading her future poems and learning about her tenure as the Manx Bard.”

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