Author Archives for IWC_admin

Irish Writers Centre Open Call for Expressions of Interest in Treasurer

June 14, 2023 4:42 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Irish Writers Centre Open Call for Expressions of Interest in Treasurer Deadline for applications: Wednesday 5th July 2023 at 5pm The Irish Writers Centre (IWC) is seeking to add a new Treasurer to its Board of Directors as it continues in the second year of its 2022- 2026 strategy. We are looking for those with a passion for the Arts and an interest in the literary landscape in Ireland. This Call seeks individuals with skills and experience in one or more of the following areas, having regard also to gender, diversity, and age balance: Financial reporting; Financial planning and budgeting; Statutory accounts audit; Tax; and/or Fund-raising. Functions of the Board & Duties of Directors The Irish Writers Centre is governed by a voluntary board of Directors. Our Board members receive no payments and serve a maximum of two three-year terms. The Board... Read Moreread more.

“The book would lead the process rather than me”: Alice Lyons on poetry, Novel Fair and her O-less novel Oona

June 9, 2023 11:05 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

    Interviewer: Jack Delaney Jack Delaney is a writer and theatre-maker from County Meath. He joined the Irish Writers Centre as an Arts Administration Intern in March 2023.         Back in April, we published an interview with writer and 2021 IWC Novel Fair winner Bryan Moriarty about his debut novel, Sounds like Fun. Now, we are delighted to present a conversation with poet, visual artist and 2019 winner Alice Lyons, who successfully pitched her debut novel, Oona, at the IWC Novel Fair, leading to its publication with Lilliput Press in 2020. Alice Lyons is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work encompasses poetry, films and public installations. The fact that she has now written a novel – let alone a novel as strange and singular as Oona – should come as no surprise. On the surface, it tells the... Read Moreread more.

Announcing our 2023 West Cork Literary Festival Young Writer Delegates

June 8, 2023 10:26 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

We’re delighted to announce our IWC/West Cork Literary Festival Young Writer Delegate awardees, who will attend the West Cork Literary Festival from 10 – 14 July and work with local writer mentor Maeve Higgins! The four awardees are Rehan Ali, Maitiú Charleton, Thomas O’Donovan and Ashlin O’Sullivan. You can find the full programme of events on the West Cork Literary Festival Website. For the past six years the Irish Writers Centre has been sending Young Writer Delegates to literary festivals around the country giving these young writers the opportunity to immerse themselves in a literary festival and also contribute to it as active participants for the first time. You can keep up with the Young Writer Delegates on their Instagram page, and through the Irish Writers Centre and West Cork Literary Festival social media channels. Also, you can now book... Read Moreread more.

37 Writers Selected for the Irish Writers Centre’s National Mentoring Programme 2023

June 6, 2023 5:02 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Following a national call out, writers from across the island of Ireland have been awarded places on the Irish Writers Centre’s National Mentoring Programme 2023. 37 writers, from a total of nearly 300 applicants, will receive literary mentoring over the next eight months from an acclaimed Irish writer of their choice. The Irish Writers Centre supports a vibrant and diverse community of writer experiences to develop their craft, capacity, and confidence to thrive as a writer in the world. Each mentor reads up to 10,000 words / 180 lines of poetry of the awarded mentee’s writing in advance of all four meetings, sharing their kind and critical feedback with the mentee, face-to-face at each meeting. Mentors also provide broad professional advice, sharing the benefit of their years of experience. The initiative is co-funded by a wide range of county arts... Read Moreread more.

We had a Fantastic Time Takin’ our Mic to International Literature Festival Dublin

May 25, 2023 11:08 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Last night, the Irish Writers Centre’s Bilingual Takin’ the Mic went to the International Literature Festival Dublin for a fantastic evening of poetry and prose in English and Irish. Featuring guest MC Lisa Nic an Bhreithimh and special guest writer, Disha Bose, it was a magical occasion with a diverse assembly of writers, poets and musicians who took to the stage! A massive thank you to all writers who performed and to the audience for making the event so welcoming and joyful. Thank you to Foras na Gaeilge for supporting this event and to International Literature Festival Dublin for hosting us. Míle buíochas le gach duine a d’fhreastail ar an ócáid! About our special guests Photograph of Lisa Nic an Bhreithimh at the Irish Writers Centre’s Takin’ the Mic, International Literature Festival Dublin 2023 Lisa Nic an Bhreithimh was our MC for the evening. Lisa is... Read Moreread more.

Announcing the Awardees for the Lamplight International Residency Programme 2023

May 23, 2023 3:37 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

We are delighted to announce the four Irish Writers Centre Professional Members selected to take part in the Lamplight International Residency Programme co-presented by the Irish Writers Centre and Varuna, The National Writers’ House, Australia. The four chosen writers are Christine Foley, Sinéad Ingoldsby, Aoibheann McCann and Michelle Walshe. The Lamplight International Residency Programme is a two-week online residency opportunity for fiction writers to enjoy the combined warmth and support of Varuna and the Irish Writers Centre. Each of our chosen writers will partake in an individual writer’s conversation with Mary Anne Butler and Conor Kostick to talk about their current work. They will also get the opportunity to join in three online Q+A sessions with multi-award-winning authors Kit De Waal, Markus Zusak (The Book Thief) and Pip Williams. They will be provided with facilitated professional networking opportunities with their peers throughout... Read Moreread more.

Opportunities & Competitions: late May/June 2023

May 23, 2023 12:40 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Photo credit: Taken en route from Dublin to Galway for Cúirt International Festival of Literature 2023 by our amazing Projects Assistant Emily O’Brien.  Each month we update our Competitions & Submissions page, along with our Bursaries & Funding, to ensure that we are connecting our writers with the best upcoming opportunities. While we usually only upload monthly there are just so many exciting deadlines coming up that we decided to do a late May/June post instead of our usual format. Journals   The Stinging Fly  Deadline: 31st May 2023 On the cusp of their 25th birthday celebrations, Ireland’s premier literary magazine, The Stinging Fly will be open for submissions from Tuesday May 16th until Wednesday May 31st 2023 for Issue 49 Volume Two (November 2023). The Stinging Fly publish new, previously unpublished work by Irish and international writers. They have a particular... Read Moreread more.

The Meridian Series: A Programme of Professional Development Activities to Make a Career in Writing

May 12, 2023 10:55 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Meridian is our new series of creative and professional development activities for professional writers, and also for those emerging writers who are ready to take the steps towards making a career in writing. In a series of 12 training and wellbeing sessions we plan to deliver annually, the first four Meridian sessions are now available to book. See details about the courses/workshops below. Foundational Facilitation Skills for Writers with Anne Tannam We’ve all experienced examples of both great and poor facilitation and come away feeling at best inspired and resourced and at worst, frustrated and unmotivated. But facilitation is a skill like any other, and with the right mindset, tools, and practice, it’s a skill that anyone can master. Focusing on the five 4s of facilitation (People, Preparation, Process and Practice) this interactive and practical course will give writers the opportunity to learn... Read Moreread more.

Announcing our 2023 IWC/Belfast Book Festival Young Writer Delegates

May 10, 2023 12:29 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

We’re delighted to announce our IWC/Belfast Book Festival Young Writer Delegate awardees, who will attend the Belfast Book Festival from 14 – 18 June and work with local writer mentor Mícheál McCann. The four awardees are Cian Dunne, Fatoumata Gandega, Caleb McKeever and Sarah McMahon. You can check out the full festival programme on the Belfast Book Festival website. Now in its sixth year, the IWC Young Writer Delegates Programme gives young writers an opportunity to immerse themselves in a literature festival and to contribute to it as active participants. You can keep up with the Young Writer Delegates on their Instagram page, and through the Irish Writers Centre and Belfast Book Festival social media channels. Also, you can now book your place to watch our Young Writer Delegates’ perform live as part of the festival on Saturday 17 June... Read Moreread more.

Opportunities & Competitions: May 2023

May 2, 2023 4:30 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Photo credit: Graffiti in Galway City shot by our wonderful Communications officer Jo Morton in April of this year. Each month we update our Competitions & Submissions page, along with our Bursaries & Funding, to ensure that we are connecting our writers with the best upcoming opportunities. Here are a few deadlines we wanted to highlight this May.   Journals   Howl: New Irish Writing Deadline: 8th May 2023 HOWL is a literary platform showcasing the creative wail in Irish writing from around the world. They want the raw and the real. If it excites you, they want you to send it to them. Open for submissions of poetry and prose (fiction and non-fiction) from April 10th – May 8th 2023. The Waxed Lemon Deadline: 21st May 2023 The Waxed Lemon is a literary journal based in Waterford. They’re looking for previously unpublished... Read Moreread more.

Our Young Writer Delegates look back on Cúirt 2023

May 8, 2023 11:46 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Earlier this month, writers, readers and book-lovers from far and wide travelled to Galway for the Cúirt International Festival of Literature 2023. From 18-23 April, attendees were treated to a week full of readings, conversations, film screenings, walking tours, events and special guests, which showcased new voices, diverse writing, Irish and international writing talent. Among the attendees were our IWC/Cúirt Young Writer Delegates, Lucy Bleeker, Deirdre Bolger, Arianne Clarke, Gráinne Condron and Matthew O’Rourke. Each year, the delegates attend events of their choice and write a review of their experience; here are the reviews our delegates wrote up for Cúirt 2023! William Keohane   William Keohane: Boxing Day Reviewed by Matthew O’Rourke On the 21st of April, Nuns Island Theatre had the good fortune to host the Cúirt 2023 iteration of Limerick-based writer William Keohane’s poetic performance piece Boxing Day. Having... Read Moreread more.

“I doubt I’d have ever found the confidence to put the book out there without the Novel Fair”: Interview with debut novelist and 2021 Novel Fair Winner Bryan Moriarty

April 28, 2023 11:47 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

      Interviewer: Jack Delaney Jack Delaney is a writer and theatre-maker from County Meath. He joined the Irish Writers Centre as an Arts Administration Intern at the beginning of March.       On the 29th of March, we were delighted to launch the 2024 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair with an online panel discussion featuring Lauren Mackenzie, Gráinne Fox and Alan McMonagle, which is available to watch here. Now, in the first of a series of conversations with past Novel Fair winners, we have an interview with writer and 2021 winner Bryan Moriarty whose debut novel, Sounds like Fun, was published by Hodder & Stoughton on March 30th 2023. Born in Dublin, Bryan studied at Trinity College Dublin before moving to London to pursue a career as an actor. In addition to performing in theatre, film and TV,... Read Moreread more.

“Support for Professional Writers to Advance their Craft and Career with Confidence and Resilience.” Launching Today: Meridian

April 19, 2023 3:40 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Meridian: For Professional Writers   Welcome to the launch of our new Meridian series of creative and professional development activities for professional writers, and also for those emerging writers who are ready to take the steps towards making a career in writing. We chose Meridian as our title, not just for its earth and energy associations, but especially for its sense of momentum and growth – to moving towards a culmination or highest point – which is our aim for you in your career as a professional writer. In our Strategy 2022-26, we dedicate Goal 1 to “support professional writers to advance their craft and career with confidence and resilience.” To that aim, we have created the Meridian series, which can cover two main strands of provision: Training and Wellbeing. In the past, you may have seen professional development training... Read Moreread more.

Novel Fair Success Stories: 32 Debut Novels and Counting…

April 12, 2023 12:22 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

    Author: Tom Jordan This blog post has been written by our new member of staff, Tom Jordan, Administration Assistant, Irish Writers Centre. Tom is a writer from Dublin. He graduated from TCD with a BA in English Literature and Drama. His writing has been published in the literary journals Sonder, The Waxed Lemon and elsewhere.       Novel Fair Success Stories: 32 Debut Novels and Counting… So, I’m sure you’ve heard about the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair, right? I mean, I might just have started working here but even I’ve known about the annual Novel Fair competition for years. The “Dragon’s Den for writers,”? Shark Tank for scribblers, no? How, over the course of two days our twelve chosen winners come together with a selection of Irish and international publishers and agents with nothing but their... Read Moreread more.