Irish Writers Centre

Irish Writers Centre Support and development organisation for writers in Ireland. Programmes | Resources | Courses | Events | Novel Fair 📚Arts Council supported.

The Irish Writers Centre has long been a hub of literary activity in Dublin, supporting established and aspiring writers throughout Ireland from its base at the heart of Dublin's cultural quarter. It is a non-profit organisation run by strong women and strange men. It aims to promote the literature and writers in Ireland. Our Charity Registration Number is: CHY 19738

The Centre was founded in 198

7 and since it was doors opened in 1991, it has welcomed many award winning writers through its doors, including Nobel, Costa, Man Booker, IMPAC, and Pulitzer Prize winners. It has also served as an important platform for breakthrough talent, with many young writers giving their first public readings here. Through a diverse programme of creative writing workshops, seminars, lectures and readings, the Centre nurtures emerging talent and fosters relationships between writers and their Irish audience. Our creative writing students benefit from the guidance and insight of successful poets, novelists, and short story writers who themselves have been published.

There's just one week to go until our very special, free event 'New Voices: A Celebration of Emerging Talents in Literat...
15/06/2026

There's just one week to go until our very special, free event 'New Voices: A Celebration of Emerging Talents in Literature', here at No. 19 Parnell Square.

This week, we're introducing you to each of the readers who will take part. Their readings will be followed by an open mic where members of the audience will be able to read their work. 🎤🎤🎤

First up is Brian Franklin. His short fiction can be found at Peepal Tree Press, Masters Review and Arts Etc. His unpublished novel, STEAL THE FISH FROM THE DEVIL’S COU-COU, won the Central Bank of Barbados’ 28th Annual Frank Collymore Literary Endowment Award in Barbados in January 2026.

Tickets/ open mic sign-up: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/new-voices-a-celebration-of-emerging-talents-in-literature-tickets-1990402306880?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

🚨 New workshop! 🚨This July, we are delighted to welcome Eman Alhaj Ali here at No. 19 Parnell Square, for a special work...
15/06/2026

🚨 New workshop! 🚨

This July, we are delighted to welcome Eman Alhaj Ali here at No. 19 Parnell Square, for a special workshop on reading Arabic language poetry from Palestine.

Eman Alhaj Ali is a Palestinian freelance writer, translator and storyteller who was forced to evacuate Gaza in April 2025. Her writings have appeared with Al Jazeera, The Nation, The Irish Examiner and others. She is author of the zine The Mirror of Memory: What Remains and What Must Be Remembered; a member of We Are Not Numbers; and contributor to several anthologies.

Fíona Bolger of Dubeloving will introduce the event.

🔗 https://irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/writing-from-east-to-west-conversations-with-arabic-language-writing-from-palestine-with-eman-alhaj-ali/

Save the date! Applications for our 2026 Cill Rialaig writer residencies will open on July 2nd. To stay up to date, chec...
15/06/2026

Save the date! Applications for our 2026 Cill Rialaig writer residencies will open on July 2nd. To stay up to date, check out our website, keep an eye on socials, or sign up to our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/irishwriterscentre.ie/newsletter

ICYMI... new courses from the Irish Writers Centre have just gone live! Join us in person or online to learn about poetr...
15/06/2026

ICYMI... new courses from the Irish Writers Centre have just gone live! Join us in person or online to learn about poetry, playwriting, crime fiction and more!

🔗 https://irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/

Announcing our 2026 International Debut Novel Competition judges!The competition awards twelve unpublished novelists wit...
15/06/2026

Announcing our 2026 International Debut Novel Competition judges!

The competition awards twelve unpublished novelists with the opportunity to pitch their novels to world-class publishers and literary agents. This year, the competition attracted a record number of entries from a record number of countries. Judging is currently underway, and all applicants will be contacted later in the summer with the outcome of their submission.

We are delighted to welcome to our panel of judges: Kevin Curran, Tanya Farrelly, Aingeala Flannery, Madeleine Keane, Liz McSkeane, Kerry Neville, Catherine Prasifka and Fíona Scarlett.

🔗 https://irishwriterscentre.ie/announcing-the-judges-for-the-2026-international-debut-novel-competition/

There are just three weeks to go until the submissions deadline for a special Irish Writers Centre anthology. It will f...
15/06/2026

There are just three weeks to go until the submissions deadline for a special Irish Writers Centre anthology. It will feature work by 35 writers, including short stories, poetry and essays. For information on eligibility, and how to enter, check out our site. 📚

https://irishwriterscentre.ie/now-accepting-submissions-a-new-irish-writers-centre-anthology/

We are grateful to Dublin UNESCO City of Literature for providing funding to support this publication.

Meet your Words on the Page facilitators: Conor Kostick! ✍️Conor Kostick is the author of a number of successful books. ...
14/06/2026

Meet your Words on the Page facilitators: Conor Kostick! ✍️

Conor Kostick is the author of a number of successful books. In 2009, he was presented with a Special Merit Award by the Reading Association of Ireland; in 2010 he was the Farmleigh Writer-in-Residence. Conor is often asked to judge literary competitions and in 2016 and 2019 was the president of the Irish jury for the EU Prize for Literature.

Conor will bring his 1-hour taster workshop 'Top 10 Tips to Finish Your Novel' to the Irish Writers Centre as part of 'Words on the Page' on Friday 10 July, 12-1pm

All 'Words on the Page' summer sessions & taster workshops are now available to book on our website!

Are you a member of the Global Majority? Would you like to take a creative writing workshop in a welcoming and supportiv...
13/06/2026

Are you a member of the Global Majority? Would you like to take a creative writing workshop in a welcoming and supportive environment?

We continue our series of creative writing workshops for members of the Global Majority, kindly supported by@dublincitycouncil with the second in the series, facilitated by acclaimed poet on Saturday, 25 July. There will be a further workshop by taking place in the autumn.

Please see further info on the courses page of our website 🔗

More about the facilitator:
Nithy Kasa is a Congolese-Irish poet, her work is featured on the Special Collections of University College Dublin. Her debut collection, Palm Wine Tapper and The Boy at Jericho was named among the top poetry books of 2022 by the Irish Times, and shortlisted for the Pigott Poetry Prize 2023. How To Make Love To A Colonised Body, Doire Press 2026, is her second poetry collection. Nithy lives between Ireland and the DR Congo.

One week to go until Writers in the Regions: Athlone!We are delighted to announce that our next Writers in the Regions m...
13/06/2026

One week to go until Writers in the Regions: Athlone!

We are delighted to announce that our next Writers in the Regions masterclass, taking place at the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, will be led by the fantastic Alan McMonagle.

Alan McMonagle has written for radio, stage, and published two collections of short stories (Psychotic Episodes and Liar Liar). Ithaca, his first novel, was published by Picador in 2017, and longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Award for first novels, the Dublin Literary Award, and shortlisted for an Irish Book Award. His second novel, Laura Cassidy’s Walk Of Fame, also with Picador, was published in 2020. He lives in Galway.

🔗 https://irishwriterscentre.ie/whats-on/writers-in-the-regions-masterclass-every-good-story-has-a-beginning-a-muddle-and-an-end-with-alan-mcmonagle-athlone/

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19 Parnell Square
Dublin
D1

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