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SEPTEMBER 2007
Young Donegal Writers Scoop Top Prizes at WordFlight's Literary
Celebrations
Ten year-old, Niamh McMullan, a pupil at St. Aengus N.S. Bridge
End, Donegal, scooped the Overall Winner prize of a new laptop computer
and accessories for her poem that she wrote when taking part in
the WordFlight Young People's Written & Verbal Arts Project.
Niamh was also placed first in the 8 to 10 year old category, and
collected an additional €100 cash prize. The prizes were presented
to Niamh and 98 other young writers during the WordFlight Literary
Showcase Event at An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny, on the night
of Saturday, 8 September.
Patrick Kearney, writer and director with Artists in Creative Enterprise,
who managed and delivered WordFlight, said:
"Niamh was one of 3000 young people aged 8 to 17 years across
Ireland, Britain, Europe, the Middle East, and the USA, who participated
in WordFlight. The project was designed to encourage young people
to connect with this year's commemorations of the Flight of the
Earls, and to use the Flight as a focal point to explore, through
creative writing and storytelling, their own experiences and imaginings
of loss and new beginnings. Their literary gift was celebrated through
the deserving book launch, prize-giving, and readings by award-winning
and published poets, Pamela Brown, Abby Oliveira, Jenni Doherty,
and Melanie Bradley. The showcase event also marked a new beginning
for the published young writers in the written and verbal arts."
The International Fund for Ireland, Donegal County Council, Dungannon
and South Tyrone Borough Council, and Excellence in Cities, funded
WordFlight. Sponsorship was received from An Grianan Theatre, Donegal
Stationery, Eason Books, Cyberworld Computers, and Artists in Creative
Enterprize. Prizes to the value of €2500 were presented to
the writers during the showcase event, which was attended by 350
children, parents, teachers, youth leaders, and guest speakers,
among them the Donegal County Manager, Michael McLoone, Letterkenny
Town Mayor, Jean Crossan, and Denis Rooney, Chairman of the International
Fund for Ireland.
Other writers from the 8 - 10 years category who collected main
prizes at the showcase event, included:
Aoife McBride, Scoil Mhuire gan Smal N.S., Letterkenny (2nd); Shaquille
Hanley, Claremount P.S., Manchester (3rd); Stiofan O' Ceallacháin,
Carrick N.S., Donegal (4th). Writers aged 11 - 13 years were, Ailis
Nic Lochlainn, Carrick N.S., Donegal (1st); Tanya Crumlish, St.
Patrick's Girls' N.S., Carndonagh, Donegal (2nd); Samuel McCarthy,
Navan, Co. Meath (3rd); Eilish McGinley, Cashel N.S., Donegal (4th).
Writers aged 14 - 17 years were, Ekaterina Karabasheva, Sofia, Bulgaria
(1st & 3rd); Conor McDermott, Moville Community College, Moville,
Donegal (2nd); Sarah Kiely, Letterkenny Youth Information Centre,
Donegal (4th).
The following poem by Niamh McMullan scooped Overall Winner prize:
My Uncle Jason moved away
a few years ago.
He's over in Boston at the minute.
There is a lot of snow.
I think it was a big jump
for him when really young.
But now I think
he has moved on.
I think it was an experience
for him to move away.
I go to my granny's house and
on the phone we talk to him each Tuesday.
I would love to go to Boston,
and to see him.
I could play and talk all day,
just me and him.
A WordFlight reading tour of schools, colleges, and youth centres
across Donegal, Derry and Tyrone will now follow. Copies of the
WordFlight book are on sale priced €10. A percentage of the
monies raised from book sales will be gifted to projects assisting
homeless Irishmen and Irishwomen to return to Ireland. Copies of
the book can be ordered directly from Donegal's new publishing press,
The Stoners Press, Artists in Creative Enterprise, Creeveoughter,
Rathmullan, Donegal.
Or contact:
Artists in Creative Enterprise
Creeveoughter Rathmullan Donegal Ireland
+ 353 (0)74 9158836 (0)86 1599068
info@artistsincreativeenterprise.com
www.artistsincreativeenterprise.com
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