Cootehill writer shortlisted for prestigious competition

A talented Cavan writer has been shortlisted for the final of a prestigious creative writing competition.

The competition was open to all 1,500 previous winners of the JP McManus 2022 All Ireland Scholarships to nurture their literary prowess, and it was from this impressive pool of writing talent that Sinead Greenan from Cootehill emerged as one of the best eight.

Sinead, who won a scholarship in 2010 and went on to study physiotherapy at Trinity College Dublin, submitted a short story to enter the competition.

The competition featured a virtual creative writing workshop hosted by the judges in November and closed for entries on January 9 for the shortlisting process.

In addition to Sinead, other local writers to make the shortlist are James John O’Connor from Newtownforbes and Romana Semler, from Carrick-on-Shannon.

The judging panel, chaired by Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald of University of Limerick (UL), includes Ireland’s first Prix Jean Monnet winner, Donal Ryan, acclaimed writer Kerri ní Dochartaigh and poet Alice Kinsella.

Author of six novels Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, said: “This competition uncovers and celebrates exceptional creative talent among AIS alumni. I’m delighted to be involved; working with a panel of among Ireland’s leading writers to discover more creative voices and stories.”

Multi-award-winning author, Donal Ryan, said: “The written word is one of the greatest ways we have of sharing human experience with one another. Whether fact or fiction, creative writing shines a light on something that might otherwise go unnoticed.”

The overall winner and three runners-up will be announced on Tuesday, March 1 with prizes of €1,000 and €500 prizes up for grabs.