Fighting Words Mayo
Fighting Words Mayo offers creative writing programming to children and young people in the Museum of Country Life, Turlough, the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar and with Mayo County Libraries.

Co-ordinators:
Laura Killeen - mayo@fightingwords.ie
Paul Soye - paul@fightingwords.ie
All our programmes are Free
Schools Programme
Resuming in autumn, Mayo Fighting Words will offer this tried, trusted and very popular programme for Primary and Secondary schools. These workshops combine a dynamic collaborative, oral, component and an individual writing segment where, with the assistance of our trained mentors, a story is started collectively then developed towards it’s conclusion by each student in their own personal style. Participants are taken at their own level, and contribute to story making in ways that suit them individually.
Primary and Secondary programmes are obviously pitched to suit their different stages of development. For more details see the these links: “What We Do” - Primary Schools Programmes also Secondary School Programmes
Booking and further information: email Laura Killeen - mayo@fightingwords.ie
Mayo Write Club on Zoom
Ask any writer and they will tell you that one of the things they find helpful is speaking to other writers. What writers have in common is imagination and the desire to write. If you are interested in creative writing and are between the ages of 13 and 18 Write Club is for you.
- Fiction - Poetry - Playwriting - Flash Fiction
- Get writing tips and on-the-spot feedback from a trained mentor - Or - submit your writing for deeper reading and comment.
- We join up with Dublin and Belfast for exclusive Q&As with guest writers.
- Work on your own project or accept the challenge of a writing prompt from our mentors
- Fortnightly - Tuesday 17.15 to 18.15 - September to June (reduced summer programme)
- All from the comfort of your home
Further information email Paul Soye - paul@fightingwords.ie
For membership form click here
Mayo Write Club in Person
All the above only in-person at the County Library, Castlebar
Further information email Paul Soye - paul@fightingwords.ie
Darina Molloy - dmolloy@mayococo.ie
For membership form click here
Young Playwrights Programme
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Intensive Young Playwrights Course — Free of Charge
The Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, and Fighting Words Mayo, offer a unique opportunity for enthusiastic young people to take part in an intensive playwriting programme. The programme comprises a series of playwriting workshops in which each participant will work towards creating a 10 minute play, gaining lots of tips and guidance from trained mentors and experienced writers. During the programme, participants are encouraged to attend a number of theatre shows at the Linenhall Arts Centre - Free of Charge. The programme will culminate in a professional theatre director and a number of professional actors delivering a rehearsed staged reading of each play before an open audience.
Trained mentors, and experienced playwrights will help participants to learn the craft by introducing them to sparkling dialogue, compelling character creation and development, aspects of play and plot structure, and in the process have some fun.
Interested?
We will be looking for enthusiastic young writers aged 15 to 17 inclusive for our 2023 programme. Keep a weather-eye open for a call to young writers, through your school and on social media for news of the next programme. In the meantime why not get a little writing practice through the Write Club Mayo programme (further information here) then you’ll be sure not to miss the call.
If you are interested and would like to participate, or if you have any queries, please contact:
- Paul Soye - paul@fightingwords.ie
- Deirdre Melvin - access@thelinehall.com / 094 9023733
