May Morton (1876 – 1957) was a major Belfast poet who played an important role in the literary circle of her time. She was vice-principal of the Belfast Model School for Girls. Her greatest work, Spindle and Shuttle, is a poem about women mill-workers of Belfast. It won the Festival of Britain, Northern Ireland Prize in 1951. 

The judges deemed it a remarkable poem that “breathes the spirit of our Province.” She was central to the establishment of Northern Irish PEN and campaigned for the freedom of expression for writers. 

Today, sadly, the writings of May Morton and her contribution to Northern Ireland literature are largely forgotten. 

Liz McManus is the editor of a new book of Morton’s poetry published by Arlen House. She says: “My aim is to reclaim May Morton’s work out of obscurity so that she is, no longer, a phantom poet.”