Kylemore Writing Retreat

PEN TO PAPER HEART TO PAGE

Kylemore Writing Retreat July 11-14th, 2013

Led by Mary Madec and Conall O'Cuinn SJ

So you’ve always had a penchant for words and long to discover what it would be like to really put pen to paper. Then this writing experience is for you. Discover the freedom that comes with creative expression as we gently guide you in the art of putting heart to page and discovering for yourself your true voice as you begin to put words on the stories and poems inside you.

The practice of writing can change your life no matter where you are on the page. The peaceful setting and the solidarity of other like-minded people will inspire you and rejuvenate your confidence. Our job will be to provide a safe and encouraging space for you to discover the
wonders of your heart and the written word.

Places limited to 12 

Cost: €400 (accommodation, food and workshops)
Contact : Mary Madec 086-8140980

RTÉ Guide / Puffin Children’s Short Story Competition 2013

There are four categories to enter and the story can be about whatever they want to write about: funny, serious, scary or an adventure.

* 10 yrs old and younger – up to 300 words (with an illustration or picture, if you want!)
* 11-13 yrs old – up to 500 words
* 14-16 yrs old– up to 750 words
* 17 yrs old+ – up to 1000 words

There are some great prizes to be won for the Winners and Runners up!

• Each Category winner will have their story published in and issue of the RTÉ Guide
• The Winners will also receive a Kindle E- Reader and a hamper of books worth €50.
• And as an added bonus, the Winner of the under-10 category will be recorded by a TRTÉ presenter for broadcast!
• The two Runners Up in each category will receive their own hamper of books worth €50.
• The Winners and Runners up, along with their parents, will be invited to attend an awards ceremony in RTÉ, getting to meet some of the RTÉjr and TRTÉ presenters and take a tour of some of our sets!  

Closing date for all entries is 5.00pm on Friday, June 7, 2013
 
There's a link here to the RTE Guide Facebook page

Roscommon Open Mic

Jessamine O'Connor is launching her poetry chapbook, Hellsteeth with an open mic.

Roscommon Womens Network
The Old Mill
CastleRea

Wednesday 29th May 7.30pm

Poetry and Short Stories.

All welcome

KBC Dalkey Book Festival Four Forty Story Competition

Competition for up and coming young writers

We urgently need some good stories, so we’re launching a terrific new short story competition in association with KBC. To celebrate 40 years of KBC in Ireland and 4 years of the Dalkey Book Festival, your story must be 440 words or less. If you are 13 or under (the best age for writers, we think) we desperately want you to enter. Please, please, enter as soon as you can; by next week we might be reduced to reading phone books and junk mail.

A prizewinner will be selected in each category (9 and under and 10-13yrs).
Each prizewinner will win book tokens to the value of €250, Dalkey Book Festival tickets, a festival lunch (with a chance to meet some of our children’s authors) and a two night family stay with dinner in the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney. Get writing!

Deadline: Monday 3rd June 2013 at 10.30am.

• Entry to this competition is open to children aged 13 years and under on 3 June 2013 who are living in Ireland
• Entrants must write a fictional short story (no more than 440 words in length) Entry is via an online entry form available here

Dalkey Festival is

Haiku for Mars

Nasa is looking for haikus in the form of a 'message for Mars' that will accompany their Maven mission in November. They will take 3 with them.

Deadline: 1 July

Link here

An online public vote to determine the top three messages to be placed on the DVD will begin July 15.

"The Going to Mars campaign offers people worldwide a way to make a personal connection to space, space exploration, and science in general, and share in our excitement about the MAVEN mission," said Stephanie Renfrow, lead for the MAVEN Education and Public Outreach program at CU/LASP. 

Poetry Ireland Introductions

If you are Dublin based, check out these up and coming poets selected to read as part of Poetry Ireland Introductions. Some new names and some that may well already be familiar but you can be sure that many will be showing up on the radar in the coming years. Is this the new establishment?

The 1st series in the Poetry Ireland Introductions Readings 2013. Featuring:
1. Madeleine Barnes
2. Stephenie Conn
3. Brian Kirk
4. Annemarie Ní Churreáin
When: Thursday 30th May 2013 @ 6.30pm

The 2nd series in the Poetry Ireland Introductions Readings 2013. Featuring:
1. Caoilinn Hughes
2. Victoria Hughes
3. Sheila Mannix
4. Alan Weadick
When: Thursday 4th June 2013 @ 6.30pm

The final series of the Poetry Ireland Introductions Readings 2013. Featuring:
1. Laim Duffy
2. Caoimhín Eoin Mac Unfraidh
3. Kerrie O'Brien
4. Katie Sheehan
When: Thursday 11th June 2013 @ 6.30pm


Where: The Irish Writers' Centre, 19 Parnell Square, D1
Admission: Free

Readings at the National Gallery Dublin

Wednesday lunchtimes in the National Gallery, Poetry Ireland is wheeling out some names. I've missed the first one but here's the rest:

15th May Mary O'Donnell
22nd May Michael Kruger (new to me)
29th May Peter Sirr

Time:1.05
It's usually well hidden, no signage so ask at the desk.