Climate Writing Sessions

Explore climate action through creative writing.

Introduction

Climate Writing Sessions

The Irish Writers Centre Climate Writing Sessions began in 2021 as a free online series originally founded and curated by Lynn Buckle, followed by Kerri Ní Dhochartaigh and Alice Kinsella. The project brings together writers, scientists, and activists to explore how storytelling can respond to the climate crisis. Supported by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, we hope to create a space for writers of all forms, whatever their level of experience, to engage with climate-related themes through discussion and creative practice.

Now in our fifth year, we continue our focus on the intersection of science, activism, and literature. Five one-hour sessions (7–8pm) will take place across April, May, June, July, and September, with a sixth session devoted to the announcement of the winner of the Irish Writers Centre Inaugural Climate Writing Prize.

This year’s programme will feature conversations like: An Introduction to Climate Fiction with Climate Fiction Prize-shortlisted writer Roz Dineen (Briefly Very Beautiful) and author Caoilinn Hughes (The Alternatives), eco-poetry and rural biodiversity with poet Jane Clarke and the Wicklow-based Wildacres Nature Reserve, and building  and sustaining creative communities with Cassia Gaden Gilmartin of Channel Magazine in conversation with Queer Sheds Co. Clare.

2026 will also see the launch of the inaugural Irish Writers Centre Climate Writing Prize. Each session of the Climate Writing series will end with hosts leaving a writing prompt for attending writers. Attendees can then enter the Climate Writing Prize with up to 1,500 words of fiction or up to 150 lines of poetry based on any of the five sessions prompts. The winning piece will be awarded €250 and publication in Channel Magazine with a runner-up receiving a course bursary worth €250. The aim of the Prize is to encourage writers to develop their work beyond the sessions, and to explore the genre of climate writing.

You can watch some of our previous Climate Writing Sessions on the Irish Writers Centre YouTube here.

 

The Irish Writers Centre would like to thank Dublin UNESCO City of Literature for supporting the Climate Writing Sessions since their inception.

Programme 2026

All Climate Writing Sessions will take place for one hour, from 7-8pm.

Session #1: Wednesday 29th April: Cassia Gaden-Gilmartin (editor of Channel Magazine) and Aoife Hammond of Queer Sheds, County Clare.

Session #2: Wednesday 27th May: Writing Climate Fiction with Caoilinn Hughes (author of The Alternatives)  and Roz Dineen (author of Briefly Very Beautiful.)

Session #3: Wednesday 17th June: Climate Writing Research, led by Dr Rowan Oberman of DCU.

Session #4: Wednesday 29th July: Poet and biologist Jane Robinson in conversation with eco-poet Paddy Bushe.

Session #5: Wednesday 23rd September: Biodiversity & Eco-Poetry in Ireland with poet Jane Clarke and conservationist Gilly Taylor of Wildacres Nature Reserve.

*Deadline for entries to the Climate Writing Competition are on Friday, 23rd October at 5pm*

Session #6: Wednesday 25th November: Announcing the Winners of the Irish Writers Centre Inaugural Climate Writing Prize 2026.

Poetry Field Trip

In addition to our Climate Writing Sessions, the Irish Writers Centre will collaborate with award-winning poet and biologist Jane Robinson on her ‘Poetry Field Trip’, a one-day workshop as part of our Academy of courses. This will take place on Saturday 20th June.

Participants will focus on drafting their own new poems based on first-hand encounters in the gardens. This outing will be bookended at the Irish Writers Centre by a morning workshop on poetry and ecology; and sharing of new work in the afternoon. Taking inspiration from scientific field trips, this poetry workshop aims to encourage an approach to writing based on first-hand observation and outdoor noticing. Transport will be provided by the IWC.

You can book your place on Jane Robinson’s Poetry Field Trip here.

Partnership with DCU

The Irish Writers Centre will facilitate DCU professor Dr Rowan Oberman’s Climate Writing Field Trip to the Botanic Gardens on the 9th June.

This further emphasises our commitment to our Climate Policy through building enduring partnerships with interested organisations also working on the relationship between climate and the arts.

New writers will tour the Gardens with Dr Oberman and then come to the Centre for an afternoon Intro to Creative Writing workshop led by author and playwright Byddi Lee.