Author Archives for IWC_admin

Novel Fair 2025: Runners-Up and Highly Commended

December 18, 2024 2:44 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Each September, we have an international call out for manuscripts from unpublished (and unsigned) novelists who are searching for a home for their novels. With a record number of submissions (546!!) to Novel Fair this year, we had the most competitive selection process so far. Our five judges, Declan Burke, Roe McDermott, John Patrick McHugh, Lia Mills and Aiden O’Reilly who selected this year’s twelve winners, also selected 12 runners-up and 12 highly commended.   Runners-up Pat Boran Sara Brown-Moore Sinead Creedon Catherine Crichton Carolyn Gutierrez Nigel Kelly Fiona McCann Gary McKeever Ralph Mills Anne O’Leary Dónal O’Sullivan Judith Pasztor Duffy Highly-Commended Kristin Adams Jaya Agrawal Brian Belefant Ken Cockburn Grainne Daly Cristina Ferrandez Miriam Forde Catherine Higgins-Moore Mike Murray Ann Neary Rachael O’Brien Eoin O’Donnell How can I enter Novel Fair 2026?   Submit up to 10,000 words of your... Read Moreread more.


Novel Fair 2025: Meet the Judges

December 16, 2024 4:34 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Thank you to our five judges, Declan Burke, Roe McDermott, John Patrick McHugh, Lia Mills and Aiden O’Reilly who read each entry and selected the 12 winners, 12 runners-up and 12 highly commended for the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2025. Read about the judges and their experience of selecting this year’s winners below. Keep your eyes peeled on Wednesday (18th December 2024) for the announcement of this year’s winners!   About the Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair Each September, we have an international call out for manuscripts from unpublished (and unsigned) novelists who are searching for a home for their novels. Described by the Irish Times as ‘A Dragons’ Den for writers,’ the twelve Novel Fair winners will participate in a two-day event where they will pitch their novels to national and international publishers and literary agents. Meet this year’s... Read Moreread more.


Announcing 2024-2025 Support Schemes Recipients (supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland)

December 11, 2024 4:56 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

We are very happy to announce the recipients of this year’s support schemes for writers from or based in the North, made possible with support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This year we awarded:   20 Course Bursaries Each recipient will receive course credit worth €165 towards a course at the Irish Writers Centre: Aaron Meehan Alex Cregan Beckie Stew Cal O’Reilly Ciara Campbell Colin Crummy Damian McElgunn Drew Dillon Eimear Kilcullen Gerry McBride Jill Nelis Lia Grogan Marie-Louise McGuinness Nathan Martin Nicole Lee Orla Lauder Peter Reid Robin Sheeran Roisin McGinn Rosaline Callaghan 20 Irish Writers Centre Memberships (Associate and Professional) Each recipient will receive one-year’s membership to the Irish Writers Centre: Associate: Ciara Campbell Damian McElgunn Eimear Kilcullen Ellen Kirkpatrick Emma Dellow-Perry Jill Nelis Marie-Louise McGuinness Patrick Hughes Paul Carson Peter Reid Roisin McGinn Professional: Byddi... Read Moreread more.


Christmas Shopping Sorted: A Selection Box of Bookshops

December 12, 2024 2:30 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

As the seasonal stress starts to wrap us all up with worries of what to buy for whom and where to buy them all, we thought we would give you a roundup of some of the incredible independent bookshops on the island of Ireland. Throughout this past year, our Opportunities & Competitions Blog (see our last one for December) highlighted one bookshop each month from Chapters, Books at One and The Book Centre to O’Mahony’s and The Winding Stair Bookshop. To finish off our bookshop visits for 2024, we have put together a selection box of gems from around the country. We are also including a little interesting or amusing fact about each one. Happy Christmas everyone, and remember, a book is not just for Christmas, the right book can be for life. Castle Books, Castlebar, Mayo Interesting Fact: Castle... Read Moreread more.


Looking back on 2024…

December 17, 2024 5:23 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

As 2024 draws to a close, the Irish Writers Centre would like to say a huge thank you to all our writers, members, facilitators, literary partners and funders. In particular, we would like to thank our core funder The Arts Council of Ireland, who make all our initiatives possible.  It has been such a joy for us to be threaded into the lives of writers at all stages of their writing journey. Here are some of the highlights from 2024:   116 writers were awarded a place on our residencies and development programmes 113 writers received bursaries for courses, mentoring and membership 546 people entered Novel Fair 2025 representing our biggest year to date! 1,777 writers participated in a creative writing course   2,603 people attended our events  9,346 subscribers continue to engage with our newsletter while 131,539 unique users visited our site.   ... Read Moreread more.


Announcing the Jack Harte and Guthrie Bursary Awardees 2025

December 7, 2024 9:00 am Published by Leave your thoughts

We are delighted to announce that Shauna Gilligan and Liam Maguire are the winners of the Jack Harte Bursary 2025 (Gilligan) and Guthrie Bursary 2025 (Maguire). These awards were presented by Jack Harte, Founder of the Irish Writers Centre and Anna Walsh, Director of The Tyrone Guthrie Centre last night at our annual Christmas Party on Friday 6 December. Created in partnership with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, the bursaries will provide the awardees each with a one-week stay at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre (County Monaghan) in order to develop their writing practice. Read more about the winning writers below. Jack Harte Bursary 2025 Shauna Gilligan is the winner of the Jack Harte Bursary 2025! Shauna Gilligan Shauna Gilligan is a professional member of the Irish Writers Centre who facilitates creative writing in community and prison settings. Her prose has been... Read Moreread more.


PRESS RELEASE: Irish Writers Centre Announces their Nollaig na mBan Line-up

December 5, 2024 11:27 am Published by Leave your thoughts

  Nollaig na mBan 2025: WOMEN OF MAGIC AND SCIENCE Monday 6 January 2025 | 7.00pm–9.00pm Pearse Street Library, Dublin Tickets are now on sale via the Irish Writers Centre website. The Irish Writers Centre will be kicking off the new year with their legendary annual celebration of Nollaig na mBan. Originally a day off for Ireland’s hard-working women immediately after Christmas, the Irish Writers Centre reimagines this tradition by showcasing extraordinary women writers in Ireland. For this year’s theme, WOMEN OF MAGIC AND SCIENCE, expect explorations of witchcraft, tarot talk and scientific endeavour: from Ireland’s first female botanist, Ellen Hutchins to women working in the field of quantum physics. Award-winning poet Jessica Traynor will host the evening’s celebration which takes place for the first time at Pearse Street Library in Dublin. Look forward to an evening of phenomenal readings, spirited discussion and live music. This... Read Moreread more.


Opportunities and Competitions December 2024

December 4, 2024 2:48 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Photo description: Frank O’Mahony standing in his store in Limerick (Photograph supplied by O’Mahony’s) In 2024 we are spotlighting all the amazing independent bookshops and booksellers on the island of Ireland simply because we love them and we think you should too. O’Mahony’s Booksellers has been a steadfast fixture in Limerick City since 1902, founded by J.P. O’Mahony at 120 O’Connell Street. Originally a modest 550 square foot shop with a small team of three employees, the store has grown and evolved over the decades, becoming a cornerstone of the local community. Each month we update our Competitions, Submissions & Opportunities webpage, along with our Bursaries & Funding webpage, to ensure we are connecting our writers with the best upcoming opportunities. Here are some of the highlights coming this month and some January submissions to consider during the holidays. Fellowships... Read Moreread more.


Writing Romantasy: Three Tips for the Overarching Plot

November 14, 2024 12:40 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

On Saturday (23 November), we are hosting a new workshop on Writing Romantasy with publisher and editor Tara Loder. Tara has worked on Sunday Times bestsellers, as well as chart topping digital bestsellers, and is experienced in taking a novel from an idea to a published masterpiece. In this 3-hour Saturday workshop, participants will discover what ‘makes a romantasy?’ by exploring key elements of this popular genre and learning how to incorporate these elements into their own writing. Can’t wait until Saturday? See below a small taster of the types of tips shared in next week’s workshop. Tara offers three tips for building an overarching plot for each of your Romantasy books. Romantasy is almost never a one and done. These books can have complex plots that run over several books. Each book has its own plot, leaving the reader satisfied... Read Moreread more.


Looking for an inspiring gift this Christmas?

November 11, 2024 3:14 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Are you looking to buy a gift for a writer this Christmas? Your gift could help them complete a new piece of writing or even tackle that novel or memoir they’ve always talked about. Our flexible e-gift vouchers can be put towards courses, workshops, membership and professional mentoring. How does an Irish Writers Centre e-gift voucher work? Go to the e-gift voucher webpage and select the amount you would like to give Email the gift voucher certificate to yourself, or directly to who you are buying it for You can choose to send it immediately or on a specific date Enter your name so they know who it’s from (and there’s space for a message) Add to basket and checkout, and you’re all set! Doing your shopping last minute? Our e-gift vouchers can be bought right up until Christmas crunch... Read Moreread more.


Opportunities and Competitions November 2024

November 7, 2024 2:21 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

From cinema to bookstore and so much more, the entrance to The Book Centre, Waterford (October 2024) Photo description: In 2024 we are spotlighting all the amazing independent bookshops and booksellers on the island of Ireland simply because we love them and we think you should too! The Book Centre is located in Waterford City, housed in the old Art Deco styled Savoy Cinema built in 1937. The screen, stage, ceiling and many other cinema features can still be seen today. The Book Centre / Barker & Jones have shops in Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Naas. Each month we update our Competitions, Submissions & Opportunities webpage, along with our Bursaries & Funding webpage, to ensure we are connecting our writers with the best upcoming opportunities. Here are some of the highlights coming this month. Bursaries/Residencies Way Beyond – residency program... Read Moreread more.


Demystifying Submissions: Meet Ireland’s Literary Journal Editors

October 30, 2024 2:59 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Interested in learning more about Ireland’s flourishing literary journal scene? Perhaps you’re looking to submit a poem, short story or essay for the first time? Maybe you’ve been submitting to journals before but you’re struggling to get published?   In this online event, ‘Demystifying Submissions’, listen to 15 literary journal editors from across the island of Ireland as they talk about the types of writing they like to publish, how their submission process works, and how best to approach submitting your work for publication. Hosted by Tolka‘s editor Liam Harrison and Holy Show‘s director and co-editor Brendan Mac Evilly, this webinar provides an accessible and informative introduction to some of Ireland’s most exciting journals. Packed with information and tips, this event was attended by Tolka, Holy Show, The Pig’s Back, Four Faced Liar, Poetry Ireland Review, The Waxed Lemon, Sans... Read Moreread more.


Photo Diary: Cill Rialaig Writers Residency 2024

October 16, 2024 2:42 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Last week, seven Irish Writers Centre members escaped to Cill Rialaig in County Kerry for a 10-day uninterrupted writing retreat. In this blog, our residency awardees capture their experience and the beautiful landscapes surrounding Cill Rialaig, locally known as the “edge of the world”. Read more about the awardees here. Slán le Cill Rialaig agus le mo chairde nua : scríbhneoirí na Cónaitheachta 2024 a bhronn an Irish Writers Centre orainn. Fanfaidh an t-eispéireas seo i mo chroí istigh ar feadh i bhfad. Agus taibhsí Uibh Ráthaigh, na manaigh ón sean am agus iad siúd a d’imigh rompu, Seanchaí na háite Seán Ó Conaill agus ar ndóigh muintir na háite feasta.  Hard to bid farewell to the place I called home for the last week and more, to the inspiring Gaeltacht landscape of people both past and present, the monks... Read Moreread more.


Kildare Readers’ Festival 2024

October 10, 2024 1:14 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

The Kildare Readers’ Festival kicked off yesterday and will run until 16 October. The Irish Writers Centre is delighted to be associated with this annual festival where all events are free and its aim is to connect readers with authors and artists. The festival programme has something for everyone, including regular favourite Ten Books You Should Read with social historian Catherine Corless and Abie Philbin Bowman. Sunday Sessions returns with Dermot Bolger, who this year is joined by acclaimed author Claire Kilroy and co-director of the Linenhall Arts Centre, Fiona Neary on the subject of family. The Revelation of Ireland with Diarmaid Ferriter and Reeling in the Queers with Anna Nolan and Páraic Kerrigan. This year’s festival welcomes some of the most exciting new voices in Irish literature including Debut Voices with Niamh Mulvey and Maggie Armstrong in conversation with... Read Moreread more.