In the heart of Limerick city, where the Shannon flows and literary tradition runs deep, the Limerick Writers’ Centre stands as a vibrant hub for creative expression, nurturing both emerging and established voices in one of Ireland’s most storied cultural landscapes. For years, this vital institution has been weaving together the threads of community, craft, and celebration, creating a landscape of literary achievement that honours the past while boldly embracing the future. The Centre’s mission extends far beyond simply providing inspiration and advice for writers. It serves as an incubator for talent, a champion of the written word in all...
Entries Open for the 2026 Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition.
Entries Open for the 2026 Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition. Limerick Writers’ Centre is proud to announce the 2026 Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition. CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS MIDNIGHT SAT 7th MARCH 2026 The Desmond O’Grady International Poetry Competition was inaugurated in 2012 by the late Barney Sheehan – poetry impresario of the White House Poetry Revival, in honour of the late Limerick poet Desmond O’Grady, who died in 2014. The Limerick Writers’ Centre now runs the competition as part of April is Poetry Month in Limerick festival. The prize winner of this year’s competition will be announced during April 2026 and will be invited to give a reading of his/her work during the 2027 festival. First...
Dec 2025 ‘First Wednesday Series’ Wed 3rd Dec 2025 at the White House Bar, Limerick
Join us Wed 3rd Dec 2015 for the ‘First Wednesday Series’ (in association with Poetry Ireland) at the White House Bar, 52 O’Connell St., Limerick. Special guest readers are Ben Keatinge and Ralph Mendes… plus the amazing Open-Mic, you can book a spot by emailing Dominic at limerickwriterscentre@gmail.com ABOUT OUR GUEST READERS. Ben Keatinge won the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award in 2022 and was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions in 2024. His Balkan sequence, Waiting for Goran at the Broz Café, was co-winner of the Ireland Chair of Poetry pamphlet series competition and is published by HOWL New Irish...
Debut Poetry Collection from Limerick author Suzanne Roys.
Suzanne Roys will launch her debut collection of poems Growing Hurts on Sunday 23rd November 2025 at The People’s Museum of Limerick, 2 Pery Sq., Limerick 3.00pm. The book will be launched by poet D’or Seifer. Poet and author Edward O’Dwyer says of Roys work “Growing Hurts, the debut poetry collection from Suzanne, is a confessional and brave collection of poems deftly meditating over the pains of love and youth and dislocation.” Revival Press, the poetry publishing imprint of the Limerick Writers' Centre, is publishing the book. The imprint produces limited editions of carefully curated poetry collections. Suzanne has been...
Liam Horan Publishes First Novel After Competition Win
Liam Horan will launch his debut novel On the Way Out on Saturday, November 22nd at Ballinrobe Library, Co. Mayo at 7:30pm. The book won the 2025 Gerald Griffin Literary Competition for first adult fiction. The novel follows Louise, fighting to save her struggling shop, and Matt, a widower clinging to the past, as a community project ignites unexpected controversy in their small Irish town of Rathfin. When old loyalties and new ambitions collide, both must decide what’s worth holding on to, and what to let go, in this heartfelt story of change, courage and second chances. Savoy Editions, an...
Limerick Writers’ Centre Launches Savoy Editions Fiction Imprint.
Limerick Writers’ Centre has established Savoy Editions, a new fiction imprint joining Revival Press and LWC Publishing in the organisation’s expanding publishing programme. Savoy Editions will publish novels and short story collections across genre and literary fiction, with particular attention to debut authors. The imprint produces small print runs of carefully manufactured books and continues the Centre’s commitment to making writing and publishing accessible to all. The imprint launches with three titles before Christmas, beginning with Sinclair’s Secret by Limerick author Dylan Choi, who writes as Clarence Winter. The book will be released on Sunday, November 9th at 3:00pm in...
‘First Wednesday Series’ 5th Nov 2025; Guest Reader Colm Scully
Join us Wed NOV 5th 7.30pm in The White House Bar, Limerick for our ‘First Wednesday Series’ poetry and open-mic event. Brought to you by Limerick Writers’ Centre and Lime Square Poets in association with Poetry Ireland. Colm Scully is a poet and poetryfilm maker from Cork. Recently retired as a Chemical Engineer, he now spends a lot of his time trying to conjure up the poetic effect in film. His poems have been published recently in Southword, Crannóg, Cyphers and Poetry Ireland Review. He won the Cúirt New Writing Prize in 2014. His films have been shown at many...
A Night at Limerick’s Acoustic Club by Kieran Beville
CLICK LINK FOR STORY A Night at Limerick’s Acoustic Club – LIMERICKhttps://kieranbevillepoetry.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-night-at-limericks-acoustic-club.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawNTlOJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFsV24yMFlUQTUwNjNuWG9JAR7xQPfjGtFzl0Of6HeX9JJ3hm2YzSHtBq_UOs2nYGrfsF3drcqfglY_IlmO5A_aem_GH1vZxOCQffzdvG4d6pcRA
‘First Wednesday Series’ 1st Oct 2025: Guest Reader James Finnegan
The Limerick Writers’ Centre & Lime Square Poets Present The October ‘First Wednesday Series’ Wed 1st Oct 2025 7.30pm Special guest reader this month is James Finnegan. James Finnegan, Dublin born, was the second-prize winner in the 2022 Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition and was shortlisted in the 2021 Bridport Poetry Prize and in the 2018 Hennessy Literary Awards for Emerging Poetry. James, who taught in St Eunan’s College for thirty-three years, holds a doctor of philosophy in living educational theory from the University of Bath (2001), and is now retired and has grown into a deeper commitment to reading...
LIMERICK WRITERS’ CENTRE ANNOUNCES THE WINNER OF 2025 GERALD GRIFFIN LITERARY COMPETITION 2025
LIMERICK WRITERS’ CENTRE ANNOUNCES THE WINNER OF 2025 GERALD GRIFFIN LITERARY COMPETITION 2025 The Limerick Writers’ Centre is proud to announce that Co Mayo native Liam Horan has been named the winner of the 2025 Gerald Griffin Competition for First Original Adult Fiction with his manuscript novel submission “On the Way Out” The official announcement took place on Thurs, September 18th at Dríacht Art Gallery, Adare, Co. Limerick, where the author was recognised for his outstanding submission to Ireland’s newest literary prize. “We are thrilled to recognise Liam Horan’s exceptional talent,” said Dominic Taylor, Director of the Limerick Writers’ Centre....
Book Launch: Poems for Palestine by Mike MacDomhnaill
Prize-winning author Mike Mac Domhnaill and Revival Press are publishing a powerful new collection of poetry called Poems for Palestine. The book examines the suffering of Palestinian people, looking not only at current events but reaching back to earlier conflicts in 1982, 2004, 2006, and 2008. Mac Domhnaill has written about political issues throughout his career, but the situation in Israel and Palestine has moved him to create this particular work. He wanted to document what he sees as ongoing injustices against Palestinian civilians. “The West has become complicit in ethnic cleansing, apartheid and genocide,” Mac Domhnaill says. “This book...
Gerald Griffin Competition for First Adult Fiction Winner to be Announced at Adare Reception
Limerick Writers’ Centre and Draíocht Art Gallery, Adare, Co. Limerick, will announce the 2025 winner of the prestigious Gerald Griffin Competition for First Adult Fiction at a reading and music reception in Draíocht Art Gallery,Adare, Co. Limerick on Thurs 18th Sept 6.30pm. The Gerald Griffin Competition for First Adult Fiction, now in its second year, celebrates emerging talent in adult fiction writing. The brainchild of poet and author Ciaran O’Driscoll, who serves as in-house judge, the competition has established itself as a significant platform for new literary voices. This year’s external judge was Dr. Kerry Beth Neville, Associate Professor of...