New Irish Communities Session 2 with Metalu Uche Okorie
Info
Date:
March 28, 2026
Time:
11.00am - 1.00pm
Location:
Irish Writers Centre
Price:
Free (Booking required)
Please note you must be 18 years of age or older to attend.
New Irish Communities is a series of six creative writing sessions for non-native speakers to explore creative writing in English, taking place on Saturday mornings between 11am-1pm.
Join writer and facilitator Melatu Uche Okorie for two hours of creative writing exercises in a supportive workshop environment. These sessions are ideal for beginner and emerging writers.
New Irish Communities was established in 2013 by the Irish Writers Centre and is supported by Dublin City Council.
Melatu Uche Okorie is a Nigerian-born writer, educator and scholar based in Ireland. Born in Enugu, the Eastern region of Nigeria, Melatu moved to Ireland in 2006. Her first foray into writing was with her short story, Gathering Thoughts, which won the Metro Eireann Short Story Award 2007. Melatu has an MPhil in Creative Writing from Trinity College Dublin. Her stories have been featured in the Faber & Faber Irish Short Stories anthology and The Art of the Glimpse: 100 Irish Short Stories); made into short film and transcribed into audio stories.
Melatu has been described as a brave and important voice in Irish literature and her writing widely praised for its honesty, depth and compassion. In addition to her writing, Melatu is also a dedicated educator and has taught writing and literature at various universities and institutions in Ireland. She is a strong advocate for diversity in literature and has worked to create opportunities for marginalised voices to be heard. She’s best known for her critically acclaimed collection of short stories, This Hostel Life, published in 2018 and transcribed into an operatic piece by the Irish National Opera in 2019.
How does New Irish Communities work?
Each stand alone session lasts two hours and will consist of the following:
- Creative writing exercises
- Close readings
- Group discussion
- Critique and feedback of work
- Recommended reading
Please note, it is not necessary to have attended any previous New Irish Communities sessions to join in, but it is necessary to sign up.
