Cill Rialaig Residencies 2023

The Irish Writers Centre is delighted to announce its ninth consecutive year of residencies with Cill Rialaig.

About the residency

Seven writers will be awarded with a ten day residency opportunity from 26 October – 5 November 2023 in Cill Rialaig. The residencies are offered all-inclusively and free of charge (the IWC will cover the utility charge for each of the seven houses). Expenses incurred by the selected writers will be food and travel.

In addition to their own work, the seven selected writers are requested to put aside approximately 2 hours at the start and at the end of the residency to come together to meet and discuss a programming or development idea that the IWC might undertake in the future. Selected writers will also be required to provide a written testimonial of their time spent in Cill Rialaig. To see the beautiful and inspiring landscape of Cill Rialaig, Co. Kerry check out their website here.

Photograph of writer studios in the village of Cill Rialaig 

In keeping with goals 1 and 3 of the IWC 2022-2026 strategy, this programme will support professional writers to advance their craft and career with confidence and resilience while also cultivating an engaged community of writers and the strategic alliances that support our ambitions.

Who is it for?

Of the seven residencies, two places are funded by Arts Council of Northern Ireland and are reserved for writers from the North of Ireland. Applications are welcome from writers born and living in the North of Ireland and those residing in the Republic of Ireland. 

 Furthermore, two places are also reserved for writers writing in the Irish language. 

This residency is open to professional members of the Irish Writers Centre in the first instance, as part of the suite of development opportunities that we wish to provide professional writers under Goal 1 of our 2022-2026 strategy. In exceptional circumstances, we may consider experienced non-professional members for this opportunity. If in doubt, contact the email below. All writers applying to programmes and opportunities with IWC must be over the age of 18 and resident on the island of Ireland.

To become a professional member, please see the Professional Member section of our website. We particularly encourage applications from Black, POC (person of colour), Traveller, Roma, LGBT+, disabled and working class writers, and those who consider themselves to be within the groups described in the EDI statement on our website.

When does it take place?

Thursday 26 October 2023 – Sunday 5 November 2023

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel made up of IWC team members and independent professional writer(s) for eligibility, expression of intent, and the range and quality of writing samples provided.

Selection will be made respecting the priority groupings described above.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying please send the following to projects@irishwriterscentre.ie with Cill Rialaig Residency in the subject line:

●      A cover letter including your personal details concisely outlining the project you would like to focus on during the residency.

●      An updated Curriculum Vitae (max. two A4 pages) including publications with ISBNs, postal address, Eircode and contact number.

●      Clearly labelled samples of recent work (up to three short samples of no more than 300 words or between 4-6 poems).

●      Any relevant information on your proposed project such as written excerpts, photos, research information, etc.

●      Please collate all documents into one attachment, either Word doc or PDF (applications which are not collated risk being disqualified).

Deadline for Applications

Wednesday 19 July 2023 at 5pm.

No late applications will be considered. Applications will be acknowledged by email on receipt.

Past recipients of the residency include:

2022: Sasha de Buyl, Sonya Gildea, Niamh Scullion, Colette Ní Ghallchóir, Anne McDonald, Trish Bennett, and Maggie Breen.

2021: Michelle Gallen, A.M. Cousins, Catherine Prasifka, Réaltán Ní Leannáin, Lydia Searle, Hilary McCollum, and Michelle NicPháidín.

2020: Niamh Campbell, Úna-Minh Kavanagh, Lianne O’Hara, Damien Hasson, Justine Carbery, Oisín Kearney, and Carrie-Jade Williams

2019: Marie Breen-Smyth, Sheila Armstrong, June Caldwell, Charleen Hurtubise, Katherine Mezzacappa, Olivia Fitzsimons, and Emily S. Cooper.

2018: Brendan Mac Evilly, Dominique Cleary, Catherine Ann Cullen, Gerry Boland, Caelainn Hogan, Paula Cunningham and John Fox.

2017: Sue Leonard, Fiona O’Rourke, Breda Wall Ryan, Anna Heussaff, Moyra Donaldson, Aiden O’Reilly, Kelly Creighton.

2016: Louise C.Callaghan, Kate Kavanagh, Martin Malone, Dairena Ní Chinnéide, Nessa O’Mahony, Sydney Weinberg and Adam Wyeth.

2015:  Andrea Carter, Anthony Glavin, Catherine Dunne, Lia Mills, Louise Phillips, Maria McManus, Seán Hardie.