If there was ever a week to see a play like I SEE YOU by Amy de Bhrún, currently running in Theatre Upstairs on Eden Quay, this is it. Not that this play couldn’t or shouldn’t be equally well received at any future date. And wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if at some time in the future I SEE YOU audiences were to sit and marvel at how women like those on-stage were oppressed...

A thrilling programme, full of theatrical gems, has been announced for this year’s SCRIPTS Ireland’s Playwriting Festival taking place in Birr in June. Our picturesque Offaly town will play host to an ensemble of playwrights, actors, producers, directors for four fun filled days from Thursday 14- Sunday 17 June. This year’s programme is jam-packed with something for all theatre lovers including top quality theatrical productions including Pilgrim and Mary & Me, children’s theatre (Tom Thumb and The Little Prince), a...

Cúirt International Festival of Literature has announced details of a diverse and eclectic programme, curated by its new Director, Dr. Emily Cullen. Leading Irish and international authors, an exploration of language across art forms and a strong commitment to Irish-language writing are at the heart of the 33rdCúirt International Festival of Literature, which will take place in Galway this April 23 – 29. This year’s Cúírt festival will see the voices of some of the...

UL/Frank McCourt Creative Writing Summer School – University of Limerick, Ireland, May 3rd to 6th, 2018 Speakers include SIR BOB GELDOF, MARIAN KEYES, KEVIN BARRY, JOSEPH O’CONNOR, DONAL RYAN, MARY O’MALLEY, KERRY NEVILLE, MARTIN DYAR, SARAH MOORE FITZGERALD, EOIN DEVEREUX, ALAN HAYES of ARLEN HOUSE publishers. ‘Food and Storytelling: a Literary Brunch,’ led by UL Creative Writing MA graduate and Food Writer, RACHAEL KEALY. Live recording of RTE Radio 1 ‘SUNDAY MISCELLANY’ at UL’s Irish World...

Corvus, Atlantic Books have announced that they have acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) to the next two novels by bestselling author Catherine Ryan Howard from Jane Gregory at Gregory & Company/David Higham. Catherine Ryan Howard first broke onto the scene with Distress Signals in 2016, with her second novel The Liar’s Girl due for publication in March 2018. She comments: ‘I couldn’t be happier to be writing two more books for Corvus. The...

Calling the writers, poets, dreamers, and schemers. Scripts is seeking new plays to inspire, inject, invent, invoke, and incite. The theme this year is DREAMS. From the large dreams for the future to the micro dreams of the day to day; dreams keep us looking to the future, delving into the unconscious, and questioning what’s before us. In the words of the wonderfully talented Dolores O’Riordan, “Oh my life is changing everyday, in every possible...

A diverse shortlist for the inaugural TA First Translation Prize includes fiction, non-fiction and a graphic novel, representing five languages and six countries – ‘a celebration of new talent, of new voices, skill and risk-taking’. The judges of the inaugural TA First Translation Prize have announced a shortlist of six books by new literary translators. Among the shortlisted books are a graphic novel, four works of fiction and one non-fiction book, in translations from Arabic,...

PEN America and PEN Center USA move to unite writers coast to coast to strengthen defense against new threats to expression – PEN Center USA in Los Angeles to Join Forces with PEN America in New York to Create National Organization PEN America and PEN Center USA will join forces in 2018 as a stronger national organization under the banner of PEN America, uniting writers coast to coast to bolster the defense of free expression in the...

Whether you’re already a freelancer or you’re in the process of considering a career change in the New Year, one of the first things you need to think about is how much you’re going to charge for your writing services. A lot of people dive headfirst into a freelance position without really thinking about the financial logistics of the job, so we’ve compiled some top tips to make sure you’re not underselling your skills. Different...

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation invites submissions to a public consultation on the transposition of Directive (EU) 2017/1564 into Irish law. The Directive provides for mandatory exceptions to copyright and related rights protection to permit the reproduction, distribution and making available of published works in formats designed to be accessible to the blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print-disabled or persons with a physical disability that prevents them from holding and manipulating a book. ...