Fighting Words

15/05/2026

Learn more about what we call “the write to right” and how it builds confidence and self-belief in children everywhere. In this blog post, Maurice Sadlier, Director of Programmes & Policy at World Vision Ireland shares his powerful experiences of seeing creative writing workshops in action in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.

We are proud to partner with World Vision Ireland on the EMPOWER! Project, supported by Irish Aid

ImageHow Creative Writing Is Strengthening Children’s Confidence from Dublin to DRCImageWritten by Maurice Sadlier, Director of Programmes & Policy at World Vision IrelandOver 15 years ago, a good friend returned to Zambia after a trip home, talking about an organisation doing impressive work unde...

14/05/2026

Write Club is the fortnightly opportunity for teen writers to write with the support of our brilliant team of volunteer mentors.

Write Club is free and open to all writers aged 13-18, based at Kerry Writers Museum in Listowel.

All details below!

✍️ Write Club | Creative Writing For Teens in Kerry Writers’ Museum on Saturday 16th May

A blank page can feel like a big place to start.

That’s where Write Club comes in.

Join us on Saturday 16th May at 1pm for our fortnightly creative writing club for teens (ages 13–18) in partnership with Fighting Words It’s a relaxed, supportive space to try things out, find your voice, and see where the words take you.

There’ll be prompts to get you started, time to write, and the option to share — if you feel like it.

No experience needed. No pressure.
Just a place to begin.

📍 Kerry Writers’ Museum Listowel.
🕐 1–2.30pm.
🎟 Free to attend. All welcome.

Kerry County Arts Creative Ireland Discover Kerry

13/05/2026

Samhlaíocht le Sruth - ceardlann lae scríbhneoireachta do mhúinteoirí!

Bí linn do cheardlann lae spreagúil sa scríbhneoireacht chruthaitheach atá á reachtáil againn i gcomhar le hOide Creativity in ionad Fighting Words ar an Mháirt, 9 Meitheamh.

Ar maidin rachaimid ar shiúlóid treoraithe cois na canála ríoga. Sa tráthnóna, fillfimid ar an ionad le haghaidh lóin agus ceardlann scríbhneoireachta.

📍Áit: Fighting Words, Cearnóg Behan, Sráid Ruiséil, Baile Átha Cliath 1
📅Dáta agus am: 9 Meitheamh, 10am - 3.30pm

ℹ Faigh tuilleadh eolais agus nasc cláraithe anseo: www.creativity.oide.ie.

11/05/2026

Launch of Story Seeds – Island Story Makers!

On Friday, 8 May, we were thrilled to welcome Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Ray McAdam, to officially launch Story Seeds – Island Story Makers, a brand-new project bringing together young writers from Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Cyprus to co-create a shared tale of peace, creativity, and connection.

This exciting initiative will unite four communities to write four chapters and create one unified story, weaving together their cultures, landmarks and imaginations into a collaborative adventure, while having fun. Because democracy isn’t just learned in classrooms - it’s lived through stories.

Other speakers included Executive Director Colm Ó Cuanacháin, and Aoife McCarrick, class teacher at Paradise Place ETNS. A special shout - out to the 4th-class students who joined us, as well as our Word Warriors, Ella and Beatrice, who shared their incredible creative work with guests!

📅 Workshops begin this Friday, 15 May, in Dublin, with sessions continuing in June in Cyprus and Belfast.
📖 The final illustrated booklet will be published in October 2026.



Supported by Dublin City Council in partnership with Fighting Words NI & UNFICYP.

📸Photography: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography

08/05/2026

ARE YOU READY?

The 2026 edition of the Fighting Words supplement with The Irish Times drops Wednesday, 20 May!

This year's edition is packed with amazing stories, poems and more - we can't wait for you to see it.

Pick up your copy 📰 in print or check it out online at ! Thanks to for the support 🙌

06/05/2026

We were delighted to welcome Karina and Neasa from Ogier Ireland to Fighting Words’ centre here in Dublin last week.

They worked with our team to deliver a story writing workshop with bright young writers at St. Philip the Apostle Junior National School!

It’s always a pleasure to have Ogier staff join the creative fun of our workshops! All of this couldn’t have been possible without the support of Basis Point, so a big thank you to the team there as well.

05/05/2026

Bígí linn ag caint 'is ag scríobh i Leabharlann Nás na Ríogh!

Cláraigh anseo: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cilldaralegaeilge

Cill Dara le Gaeilge Kildare Library Service

02/05/2026

📦 Look what just arrived in the mail!

We’re over the moon to share How Can We Make This World Worth Knowing? It’s a stunning anthology of essays, poems, and stories by young writers aged 6 to 18.

Edited by the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers and featuring an introduction by Hanif Abdurraqib, this collection showcases the creativity and power of young voices from around the world.

🎉 Huge congrats to our incredible writers - Holly, Ben, Nia, Maia, Emily, and Saoirse -for being featured in this inspiring book!

You can find copies on the shelves at Fighting Words or order your own here: https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/how-can-we-make-this-world-worth-knowing

Fighting Words is proud to be a member of the International Alliance of Youth Writing Centers and to collaborate on projects like this!

30/04/2026

We are deeply saddened by the loss of our longtime supporter and board member Gordon Snell. He was a treasured friend of all at Fighting Words. We honour Gordon's life as an amazing writer of wondrous stories for children, a broadcaster and a cornerstone of the Fighting Words family.

His legacy will live on in the pages of his forty-plus books, his lyrics and his work for theatre, the BBC and RTÉ. Alongside his beloved late wife Maeve Binchy, Gordon helped shape Fighting Words from its earliest days, leaving an indelible mark on our community. Today we celebrate Gordon, a warm, generous and insightful man who believed passionately in the limitless potential of young imaginations, and whose words brought joy to so many.

We will miss you, Gordon.

Gordon is pictured here with our co-founder Roddy Doyle and our chair Alan Gilsenan at the unveiling of the quote he chose to honour his late wife Maeve Binchy at the Fighting Words centre in Dublin.

24/04/2026

The launch of Everyone Started Singing at the Cork World Book Festival was a celebration of creativity and community!

Six talented members of Write Club Cork - Stanley, Lucy, Megan, Skye, Emikko, and Eve - had their work published in this anthology.

Their poems, written in response to the prompt “freedom is a bird,” explore the many facets of freedom and where it’s found in their lives.

A huge thank you to award-winning poet Jenny Mitchell and Cork City Libraries for leading the workshop series and collaborating with groups across Cork, including the Sexual Violence Centre, Cork Migrant Centre, and those in direct provision.
Bravo to all the Write Club members for this incredible opportunity to share their voices. Thanks as always to our amazing partners at Graffiti Theatre Company!

23/04/2026

Huge congratulations to Fighting Words co-founder Seán Love on the release of his beautiful new book, Tara Sunsets. Seán has generously donated all profits from online sales of the book to Fighting Words and The Shaking Bog. We are incredibly proud and even more grateful!

Tara Sunsets is a collection of 12 panoramic photos by Seán Love, one for each month of the year, over the ancient landscape at the Hill of Tara in County Meath. Seán’s intention with this collection was to catch the ever-varying evening skies with the changing seasons of the year. The photos are accompanied by extracts from Seán’s lyric verses, written while walking on
Tara.

Irish Times journalist Sylvia Thompson observed that her enjoyment of Tara Sunsets reminded her of the beautiful quote from Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society:
“A moment each day with your head in the clouds helps you keep your feet on the ground.”

Scan the relevant QR codes for Ireland/EU (incl. N.Ireland) and GB orders.

(Postage to GB is €9. Ireland/EU postage (incl. N.Ireland) is €3.50.)