This Halloween, we invite young writers to use our template to create a story and colour it in!
Use your imagination to make a scary story, a silly story or anything in between!
Upload your story to a parent/guardian social media account be sure to tag us on social media:
Fighting Words is delighted to be part of the Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival, hosted by Smashing Times and Front Line Defenders.
Songs and music have played a powerful role in human rights movements, giving a universal voice, crossing barriers and promoting unity and equality.
At these three workshops we will look at the history of these songs, and draw on these themes to create our own songs relevant for today's generation.
In 2020, Dr Irene White of the Institute of Education at Dublin City University, published further research on the Fighting Words creative writing model as part of her PhD thesis.
The research finds that Fighting Words empowers children to learn creatively, with a multitude of positive impacts on wellbeing including the amplification of the teenage voice, as well as improving their efficacy, confidence, esteem and resilience.
It concludes that the Fighting Words model contributes additional, significant knowledge to three key dimensions of creativity, fostering climate(s) for creativity, processes for ‘being creative’ and enabling beneficial outcomes.
On Friday, 23 July 2021, thanks to the great people at Creative Ireland, An Taoiseach paid a visit to our friends and partners at Graffiti Theatre Company - the home of Fighting Words in Cork - to see a Fighting Words workshop in action.
The former teacher turned student for the afternoon, the Taoiseach sat in on a creative writing workshop with members of Graffiti's Activate Juniors group, facilitated by the workshop super-team of Kel, Fiona and Marie illustrating via Zoom, developing characters and creating their own stories.
Premiering on YouTube - Tuesday, 20 July 2021 at 7.30pm for one week only!
Click here to watch on the Abbey Theatre YouTube channel
The story so far . . .
Introducing Story Seeds: Springtime In The North Inner City
A collection of six stories by primary school students from the northside of Dublin
In January 2021, Sgt. Aoife Reilly of the Mountjoy Garda Community Engagement Unit approached Fighting Words with the idea of collaborating on a creative project for primary school students on the northside of Dublin.
Following meetings with Fighting Words staff, the Story Seeds project was born: new stories to celebrate the areas where we all live, work and play. The idea was that the first school would write the first chapter of a story, the next class would write the second chapter and so on.
Tá áthas orainn ag Fighting Words Chonamara a bheith ag obair le hÁras Éanna ar thogra speisialta do Chruinniú na nÓg 2021. Tá Áras Éanna 21 bliain ar an bhfód i mbliana agus mar chuid den cheiliúradh beidh muid ag obair le daltaí as Scoil Náisiúnta Chaomháin, Inis Oirr.
Ar an Mháirt, 1 Meitheamh, beidh na daltaí ag cruthú scéalta bunaithe ar an oileán le foireann Fighting Words. Beidh an dara ceardlann acu ansin, áit a mbeidh siad ag obair le stiúrthóir ealaíne Áras Éanna, an t-ealaíontóir Dara McGee, chun íomhánna a chruthú bunaithe ar a gcuid scéalta nua-scríofa.
Registrations Are Now Closed.
Parents will be advised of places by Monday, 21 June
Schedule and Information for Parents
We are delighted to announce the schedule of FREE summer camps at Fighting Words for 2021!
Camps this year will be offered to two age groups: 11-13 years and 14-17 years. All camps run from Monday to Thursday, 10am to 3pm and are completely free of charge. Our camps are highly participatory and a lot of fun. Come explore your creativity with us this summer!
What was life like for children and young people on the island of Ireland a hundred years ago?
The focus of the project is on the social and cultural aspects of children’s lives over a century, and how they compare to life now.
The Fighting Words 100 Years Creative Writing Project will see participating primary and secondary schools from across the island partake in joint workshops, where stories and ideas can be shared. The project will be delivered in Irish and English, and will see children and young people from a variety of backgrounds encouraged to bring their own rich and diverse histories, stories and cultural traditions to this initiative.
Launched on Tuesday, 18th May 2021
During this tough year a remarkable group of young authors from Colaiste Mhuire, Cabra, came together once a week to create, invent and write. Joined online and supported remotely by Fighting Words mentors they tirelessly worked on their pieces and pulled together a fantastic, inspiring collection.
The anthology was launched onTuesday, 18 May 2021 by Sheila O'Flanagan who also wrote the foreword.
From the foreword:
Please be advised that no one is authorised to raise funds for Fighting Words on the street anywhere in Ireland.
Fighting Words has been contacted regarding a purported on-street fundraiser operating in Dublin.
Please be advised that no one is authorised to raise funds for Fighting Words on the street anywhere in Ireland.
We are grateful to everyone who has contacted us about this matter and for the support of the community.
We ask anyone affected by this fraudulent fundraiser to DM us as soon as possible to assist in the Garda investigation. Thank you. #writetoright
Now available - the 2021 edition of Fighting Words - Young Irish Writing in The Irish Times!
The 2021 supplement features 40 pages of brilliant stories and poems by young authors from all over the island of Ireland and beyond, in English and in Irish, with an introduction by Alan Gilsenan.
Get your copy and get inspired!
In recent weeks, Fighting Words has livestreamed plays by 17 young playwrights from around Ireland on Zoom.
Fighting Words is committed to the development of young playwrights in collaboration with theatres across the island of Ireland.
Young Playwrights 2020-2021
This year's Fighting Words Young Playwrights Programme was delivered online between November 2020 and March 2021. The six workshops culminated in the performance of ten wonderful new short plays by young playwrights from across the island.
In January 2021, we invited writers age 7-12 to tell us a story about an animal or creature - real or imagined. We received over 120 stories, poems and illustrations!
In this celebration of creativity, ALL the stories from young writers all over the island of Ireland are published here, organised by age.
I mí Eanáir 2021, thug muid cuireadh do scríbhneoirí aois 7-12 bliain scéal faoi ainmhí a insint dúinn- fíor-ainmhí nó ainmhí samhailteach. Fuair muid os cionn 120 scéal, dán agus léaráid!
Sa gceiliúradh seo ar an gcruthaitheacht, tá na scéalta AR FAD ó scríbhneoirí óga na tíre foilsithe anseo againn, eagraithe de réir aois
If you are interested in working with children and/or the creative arts, a Transition Year work experience placement is a great learning opportunity and a lot of fun!
Places available in Dublin and Wicklow centres only on a first come first serve basis
All placements subject to Government public health advice at the time of placements
All students over age 16 are legally required to be Garda vetted by their school
For full details and to apply, click here!
In January 2021, Fighting Words invited writers aged 12 to 212 to explore the world around them and share their creative responses with us.
The response was tremendous and we are delighted to share it here.
Based on the 5km limit that people in the Republic were living with as part of the Government's Level 5 restrictions due to Covid-19, writers interpreted 5x5 as:
I mí Eanáir 2021, d'iarr Fighting Words ar scríbhneoirí ó 12 go 212 bliain d'aois fáil amach faoi domhan mórthimpeall orthu agus a gcuid smaointí agus freagairtí cruthaitheacha a roinnt linn.
D'éirigh thar cionn leis an togra agus tá an-ríméad orainn é a roinnt libh anseo.
Mar chuid de shrianta Leibhéal 5 an Rialtais de bharr Covid-19, ní raibh cead ag daoine i bPoblacht na hÉireann dul taobh amuigh de theorainn 5km ó bhaile. Bhí bealaí éagsúla ag scríbhneoirí ciall a bhaint as 5x5:
Teachers! Are you interested in booking a FREE creative writing workshop for your primary or secondary school group? Bookings for 2021/2022 are now open.
Fighting Words workshops are highly interactive, incredibly creative and fun. We help children to find their voices and tell their stories.
DCU's Neurodivergent Society Creative Collection
For eighteen months, Fighting Words mentors have worked with writers from the DCU Neurodivergent Society, engaging with them online at regular writing sessions.
We are delighted to launch a collection of their work: The Art of Divergence - DCU's Neurodivergent Society Creative Collection.
The launch event on 25 March 2021 is the presentation of work created with the Neurodivergent Society as part of DCU’s autism friendly initiative.
The Fighting Words Clare team was delighted to be part of Clare County Library Teen Week 2021, in collaboration with Ennis Book Club Festival! Fighting Words co-founder Roddy Doyle facilitated a creative writing workshop with Transition Year students from Scoil Mhuire Secondary School, Ennistymon.
Fighting Words Northern Ireland and Fighting Words are delighted to welcome Cathleen Young as our inaugural Fighting Words Writing Fellow in association with The Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's University Belfast.
Cathleen comes to us by way of the HUMANITAS Prize in Hollywood, California where she was the Executive Director from 2007-2021. She is an award-winning television writer as well as a children’s author.
On Wednesday 3rd February 2021, Fighting Words volunteer mentors worked with students from the Trinity Access Programme Linked Secondary Schools in multiple disciplines to create original stories, songs, poems and some short plays.
This project was done in association with Freiraum. Freiraum is a Europe-wide project initiated by the Goethe-Institut in 2017 that deals with the current state of freedom in Europe. The local Freiraum project in Dublin focuses on economic inequality and the resulting limits of freedom.
Fighting Words is delighted to share the news that Fighting Words Northern Ireland, the creative writing network for children and young people, has announced the appointment of Hilary Copeland as Director on 8 February 2021.
Ms Copeland will take up the role in March 2021. She is currently Deputy Director at the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin, having joined the team as Acting Director in July 2019. She has worked in literature and arts management since 2008, delivering expertise across business management, strategic planning, creative programming and event delivery for festivals, arts and theatre companies and nonprofits in Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin.
Thank you for your interest in joining this writers circle for educators. The current group is now FULL. Please keep an eye on the website for future groups like this one.
Are You A Teacher or Trainee Teacher Interested in Creative Writing?
Whether it comes from a love of words, a story that needs telling, a quest for personal clarity, or the wish to honour our days by recording something of them, the longing to write is worth heeding.
Are you a teacher or student teacher who is interested in writing? Would you like some company for this stage of your writing journey? If so, this may be the group for you.
Tell Us A Story About An Animal or Creature - Real or Imagined!
Fighting Words is asking young authors aged 7-12 to send us stories about animals.
In this celebration of creativity, ALL the stories will be published on the Fighting Words website and several of the stories will be animated by our team of volunteers!
Inis Scéal Faoi Ainmhí Dúinn - Fíor-Ainmhí nó Ainmhí Samhailteach!
Tá Fighting Words ag iarraidh ar údair óga aois 7-12 bliain scéalta faoi ainmhithe a sheoladh chugainn. Is ceiliúradh ar chruthaitheacht é seo agus foilseofar GACH scéal ar shuíomh idirlín Fighting Words. Freisin, déanfaidh an fhoireann dheonach atá againn beochain bunaithe ar chuid de na scéalta!
What is inside the 5km boundary where you are?
Engage your five senses and discover the stories within your 5km! What is special about the area where you live that you would like the world to know?
Fighting Words invites you to explore the world around you and share your creativity with us!
Take a photograph of something within your 5km limit and write its story in five...five what? It’s up to you!
Céard atá laistigh den teorainn 5km san áit ina bhfuil tusa?
Cuir do chúig chéadfa ag obair agus faigh amach céard iad na scéalta laistigh de do 5km! Céard atá speisialta faoi do cheantarsa gur fiú a roinnt leis an domhan mór?
Seo cuireadh duit ó Fighting Words fáil amach faoin domhan mórthimpeall ort agus do chuid cruthaitheachta a roinnt linn!
Tóg grianghraf de rud éigin taobh istigh de do theorainn 5km agus inis an scéal a bhaineann leis ag úsáid cúig…cén saghas cúig? Is fútsa atá sé!
As part of First Fortnight, the annual festival that raises awareness about mental health, challenges prejudice and works to end stigma, Fighting Words is hosting a workshop for young writers aged 10 to 12 years on Saturday, January 16th!
Who Am I? Who Are We? Poetry at Fighting Words
Where: Online via Zoom, hosted by Fighting Words
When: Saturday, 16 January 2021
Time: 11am to 1.00pm
Age Range: 10 to 12 years
Cost: FREE
