Author Archives for IWC_admin

Announcing the Winners of the 2025 International Debut Novel Competition

December 1, 2025 5:02 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

The Irish Writers Centre is delighted to today announce the winners of the 2025 installment of its flagship annual literary initiative, the International Debut Novel Competition. Each year, the competition awards unpublished novelists with the opportunity to pitch their novels to world-class publishers and literary agents. This year, the centre invited submissions for the competition between 1 August and 14 September, attracting a record number of entries. We are delighted to announce as our winners: Bronagh Slevin Based between Ireland and Sicily for fifteen years, Bronagh Slevin is fascinated by what it means to live on an island. In her writing, she is devoted to unravelling the legacy left by little-explored areas of world events and how this impacts our small, interconnected personal lives. She also has a completed literary fiction manuscript set in Ireland, which was selected for Date... Read Moreread more.

Announcing the Judges for the 2025 Irish Writers Centre International Debut Novel Competition

October 21, 2025 9:51 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

  The Irish Writers Centre is delighted to today announce the judges for the 2025 installment of its flagship annual literary initiative, the International Debut Novel Competition. The competition awards twelve unpublished novelists with the opportunity to pitch their novels to world-class publishers and literary agents. This year, the centre invited submissions for the competition between 1 August and 14 September, attracting a record number of entries. We are delighted to welcome to our panel of judges: David Butler, fiction writer and poet: author, most recently, of Scorched Earth which has just been published by Dedalus Books under the pen-name Dara Kavanagh. He has previously been shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year, and tutors regularly with the Irish Writers Centre. Mary Anne Butler, writer and mentor based in Naarm, Melbourne. Winner of the 2016 Victorian Prize... Read Moreread more.

The Irish Writers Centre Roadshow at Dublin Book Festival

October 7, 2025 11:07 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Throughout 2025, the Irish Writers Centre has toured the island, bringing an exciting programme of literary events from creative writing workshops, showcases, panel discussions, masterclasses and information sessions to the four provinces, serving an all-island literary community with tuition, peer support and networking opportunities for writers at every stage of their journey. Our final festival this year sees us back in our home city for the Dublin Book Festival which runs from 5th to 9th Nov. Now in it’s 20th year, the Dublin Book Festival was established in 2006 by Publishing Ireland, the all-island trade association for book publishers (itself established in 1970), to celebrate all that is best in Irish writing and publishing. It has grown to become one of Ireland’s most successful and vibrant annual book events, with the support of the Arts Council and other funders, and... Read Moreread more.

Irish Writers Centre & Poetry Ireland: A Black History Month Celebration

September 29, 2025 4:58 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

The Irish Writers Centre & Poetry Ireland Present: A Night in Celebration of Black History Month On Friday, 24th October, the Irish Writers Centre and Poetry Ireland will join forces to co-present a night of readings from Black-Irish writers and poets in celebration of Black History Month. Set in the historic surroundings of our Georgian headquarters at 19 Parnell Square, this special event will feature readings from acclaimed writers and poets shaping the Black Irish literary canon today. Chaired by poet and editor of Poetry Ireland’s Trumpet for 2025, Nandi Jola, the lineup features the incredible talents of Zainab Boladale, Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi, Jade Jordan, Ola Majekodunmi, and Samuel Yakura, All are welcome to celebrate and  hear these incredible voices of Ireland’s Black community. The night will run from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. Tickets are €5 and available now on Eventbrite.... Read Moreread more.

The Irish Writers Centre Roadshow heads to Write by the Sea

September 26, 2025 12:17 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Throughout 2025, the Irish Writers Centre is touring the island, bringing an exciting programme of literary events from creative writing workshops, showcases, panel discussions, masterclasses and information sessions to the four provinces, serving an all-island literary community with tuition, peer support and networking opportunities for writers at every stage of their journey. This September we are delighted to head down to Welford for Write by the Sea, Kilmore Quay. 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of this boutique literary festival set in the scenic fishing village of Kilmore Quay. Over the past decade, they’ve welcomed some of Ireland’s finest writers and introduced exciting new voices—all in a setting as warm and welcoming as the stories we celebrate. Running from 26 to 28 September 2025, whether you’re a reader, writer or simply curious, there’s a place for you at Ireland’s friendliest literary festival.... Read Moreread more.

Autumn Publishing Day Online

September 19, 2025 10:41 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

We are excited to announce our Autumn Publishing Day, and for the first time, we’re bringing it to you online! By making the event virtual, we aim to increase accessibility for all writers across the island of Ireland and beyond. Whether you’re joining us from the bustling city of Dublin, the rural surrounds of Tory Island, or anywhere in between, we look forward to welcoming a diverse and engaged community of writers. Join us via Zoom on Saturday, 11th October 2025, to hear from a panel of industry professionals on the publishing process from start to finish, as well as gain some valuable insights into this ever-evolving industry. Tickets are available here. How can I prepare to submit my work to the publishing industry? What are the challenges? Should I self-publish? Do I need an agent, or should I send manuscripts directly... Read Moreread more.

Announcing the Inaugural Winner of the New Writing Prize

September 18, 2025 12:11 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

We are delighted to announce Ellen Flanagan as the winner of the 2025 Irish Writers Centre New Writing Prize in partnership with The Stinging Fly. Ellen has won the prize for her short story, ‘A Typical Barbie’, which is available to read on the Stinging Fly website today. Ellen Flanagan is from Cork and is currently working in New York. In 2023, she joined a Brooklyn-based writers’ group and was encouraged to begin reading her work at open mics across the city. This led to her completing the first draft of a novel about women taking life and religion into their own hands in an 1980s Irish seaside town. She often draws inspiration from the places she has lived during her career in international relations, including Strasbourg, Brussels, Kuala Lumpur, and Washington, D.C. She speaks French and Italian and holds... Read Moreread more.

Announcing our Cill Rialaig Residencies Awardees 2025

September 17, 2025 12:20 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

We are delighted to announce the seven writers who have been selected for the Cill Rialaig residencies, in partnership with Cill Rialaig Arts Centre. The chosen writers are Cáit Moloney, Caitlyn O’Reilly, Joanne Hayden, Joe Phádraig Ó Fátharta, Kerri Sonnenberg, Róisín Sheehy and Saoirse Morrigan. This iteration marks the eleventh consecutive year of Irish Writers Centre residencies with Cill Rialaig. The awarded writers will spend ten days in Cill Rialaig, locally known as ‘the edge of the world’. Roe McDermott, 2023 Cill Rialaig Residency awardee said this about her experience: “…Getting to slow down, inhale the beauty of the landscape, and spend the dark moonlit evenings reading and thinking felt like a generous gift.” WRITER STUDIOS IN THE VILLAGE OF CILL RIALAIG, CO. KERRY   Cill Rialaig Residencies Awardees: Cáit Moloney is a writer from Co. Limerick. She has a... Read Moreread more.

Agents and Publisher’s Tips & Tricks for Getting Your Work Published

September 8, 2025 11:44 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

With just days left until the deadline for entries to the International Debut Novel Competition, we’re encouraging aspiring authors not to miss this life-changing opportunity to get their work noticed by some of the leading figures in publishing. The International Debut Novel Competition is unique in offering 12 winners the chance to pitch their first novel directly to influential publishers and literary agents. This year’s panel includes: • Paul Feldstein, Literary Agent, The Feldstein Agency. • Geraldine Nichols, Literary Agent, The Book Bureau. • Patricia Deevy, Deputy Publisher, Penguin Random House Ireland. • Ivan Mulcahy, Literary Agent, Mulcahy Sweeney Literary Agency. • Sean Farrell, Lilliput Press, Submissions Editor. • Brian Langan, Literary Agent, Storyline Literary Agency. • Faith O’Grady, Literary Agent, Lisa Richards Agency. • Gráinne Fox, Literary Agent, United Talent Agency. • Nicola Barr, Literary Agent, Rye Literary. To... Read Moreread more.

How To Write A Synopsis

August 18, 2025 10:10 am Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

As submissions come flying in for our International Debut Novel Competition, the Irish Writers Centre and previous International Debut Novel Competition winner, Lauren Mackenzie, are here to demystify the application process for first-time novelists. As part of your submission to the Competition, you will be asked to craft a 500-word synopsis of your novel. Below, Lauren Mackenzie offers a helpful step-by-step process for creating your synopsis:   After months, years, centuries of toil, hope and despair, you produce 90,000 odd words in an act of tremendous faith and miraculous creativity and someone wants you to squish it into 300-500 words. What? Why can’t they just read the book?   Well.   First things first. What is a synopsis? A synopsis is a short summary or description of a manuscript focusing on character, setting, plot and tone and almost everyone wants... Read Moreread more.

Culture Night 2025. Fierce Form on Friday. An Irish Writers Centre Promenade Showcase

August 15, 2025 4:12 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

In June this year, we had our first Writers Showcase at the Centre. The aim was to ensure writers know our rooms are open to them, not just for taking part in in-person courses, mentoring sessions, book launches or, if you are a member, using a room for a few hours during the day to write in, but to let their words live and breathe in the air, here on Parnell Square. It was a resounding success, a celebration of five poets, all Out of Towners, who all recently released new collections. And so, for Culture Night 2025, the Centre will host its second Writers Showcase, this time a promenade tour of the building, Fierce Form on Friday. On Friday 19 September from 6.30pm, come tour the rooms in our Georgian building as we explore literary form. We kick off... Read Moreread more.

Opportunities for Writers: August 2025

August 11, 2025 2:06 pm Published by IWC_admin Leave your thoughts

Our monthly list of submission windows, competitions, bursaries, residencies and general literary opportunities is now live. This list offers information on opportunities with August/September deadlines. For information on other upcoming opportunities, see our competitions, submissions and opportunities and bursaries and funding pages. Irish Writers Centre Opportunities DEADLINE: 14 SEPTEMBER 2025 International Debut Novel Competition 2025 The International Debut Novel Competition (previously the Novel Fair) is an annual literary competition that offers first-time novelists the chance to pitch their work to leading agents and publishers. This year, writers are invited to submit 5,000 words of their manuscript (plus a 500-word synopsis) by 14 September to be in with a chance of attending the highly coveted Pitch Days in November 2025. More information here. Opportunities DEADLINE: 15 AUGUST 2025 Tyrone Guthrie Centre Bursary Awards for Children’s Books Artists in 2025 Children’s Books... Read Moreread more.