Irish Writers Centre Foundation Showcase (Dublin Book Festival)

Join us for a series of readings from the Festival’s Foundation writers, a programme led by the Irish Writers Centre. Come along and discover some incredible new voices in Ireland’s literary scene! The six emerging writers who will take to the stage are Aoife Horan, Declan Jones, Clíona Malin, Catriona Murphy, Ifunanya Ogochukwu and Khaled Sultan. The M.C for this event is Damien B. Donnelly, Irish Writers Centre Events and Marketing Assistant.

Aoife Horan is an MA journalism student who hails from East Wall, a transient area which belongs to either Dublin 3 or the inner city, depending on who’s speaking to whom. She likes winding streets, city birds, dimly lit bars and Irish waterways. She lives by Margaret Mead’s maxim, “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.”

Declan Jones is an emerging Irish writer experienced in theatrical and literary writing,looking to  contribute to LGBTI+ promotion and positive change within the literary, theatre and film industry. Graduating from the University of Galway in 2016 with a degree in French, Italian and Film Studies as well as a Masters in Theatre Practice and Production. His literary works include Beneath the Coloured Lines (Unpublished), 2022, Adult LGBT+ Science Fiction, Azzurro in the Sky (Unpublished), 2018, Young Adult LGBT+ Fiction, Quadrangle (Unpublished), 2014, Young Adult LGBT+ Fiction.

Clíona Malin is a queer Irish poet and performer based in Dublin. Her work has been published in Abyss, the Irish Creative Collective Literary Magazine and CHOPPED zine in aid of gender-affirming care. She has performed poetry sets at the Irish Cultural Centre Rosemary Branch Theatre, Canal Café Theatre and Zodiac LGBTQ+ Bar in London. Clíona was recently selected for the Irish Writers Centre Associate Membership Support Scheme 2024 and The Stinging Fly 2024 Summer School. Her poetry is rooted in nature and place, often touching on human connections with landscape and ecological resilience.

Catriona Murphy was awarded third place by the Dublin Sports and Cultural Council for her short story in 2008. She’s been published in the online literary magazine, Bombfire, and has self-published her own fantasy trilogy online, The Divine Inheritance series. A member of the Inkslingers writing group based in the Irish Writers Centre, she lives in Dublin and works full-time in the tech industry.

I’m Ifunanya Ogochukwu, an 18-year-old law student. I enjoy writing young adult and children’s fiction, especially historical fiction and fantasy. In 2020, I published my first novel. Writing has always been my passion, providing a creative outlet alongside my studies. I’m excited about the opportunity to enhance my skills and connect with fellow passionate writers.

Khaled Sultan is an emerging playwright based in Dublin. His work explores the world through comedic and fantastical lenses. Khaled has written several full-length and one-act plays, with his full-length ‘Along Came the Foreigner’ reaching the Top 14 Finalists at the 2024 S&Co Festival. Honing his craft, Khaled completed the Fishamble playwriting course in 2023.

Damien B. Donnelly is the author of two pamphlets, a micro-collection and full collection,
Enough! published by Hedgehog. He’s the host and producer of poetry podcast, Eat the
Storms, and editor-in-chief of The Storms journal. His work appears in various anthologies.
His second collection, Back from Away, was published by Turas Press, May 2024.

The Irish Writers Centre Foundation Programme 2024 is supported by Dublin City Council.