41 writers selected for
National Mentoring Programme 2026
After a national callout by the Irish Writers Centre for their National Mentoring Programme (NMP) in December 2025, 41 writers have been awarded places from a total of 542 applicants. Each writer will receive mentoring from an established writer over the course of 2026.
Founded in 1991, the Irish Writers Centre is Ireland’s leading resource and development organisation for writers. Its vision is to support the life of the writer at every stage of their career. As one of the largest writer mentoring programmes in Ireland, NMP has an enormous impact on a writers’ journey by providing essential professional support and this year saw an increase of over 150 applications from around the country. The programme is aimed at both emerging and established writers.
Since 2017, the programme has numerous published authors among its alumni including Amy Barry, Anne Walsh Donnelly, Geraldine Walsh, Molly Twomey, Sam Furlong, Simon Costello, and Tom Roseingrave to name just a few.
Last year’s mentor and NMP judge, Alan McMonagle, commented:
“As a practitioner always on the lookout for writerly wisdom myself, it has been very fulfilling for me to meet new writers, to spend time with their eagerness and enthusiasm, and to be in a position, via the NMP, to offer something that may contribute to their burgeoning talent.”
Alan McMonagle
NMP 2025 mentee, Teri Donaghy, was mentored by Jan Carson and she had this to say about her NMP experience:
“The National Mentoring Programme was a wonderful, enriching experience. I gained so much insight into the process of how I write. The opportunity to incorporate constructive feedback, suggestions and comments was invaluable…”
The initiative is funded by a wide range of county councils, county arts centres and other organisations who guarantee that one or more writers from their counties are supported through the programme. This year’s supporting bodies are:
Carlow County Arts Office, Cavan County Council, Dublin City Libraries & Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Arts Office, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Libraries, Droichead (Louth) Arts Centre, Fingal Arts, Galway City Arts Office, Kildare Arts Service, Kilkenny Arts Office, Laois County Council, Limerick City & County Arts Office, Mayo Arts Office, Meath Arts Office, Monaghan County Council, Offaly County Council, Roscommon Arts Centre, Sligo Arts Office, South Dublin Arts Office, The Source Arts Centre (Tipperary), Westmeath Arts Office, Wexford Arts Office and Wicklow Arts Office and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Arts Council, Ireland.
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About the Irish Writers Centre:
Founded in 1991, the Irish Writers Centre is Ireland’s leading resource and development organisation for writers. Our vision is to support the life of the writer as they illuminate our lives with their ideas and words.
Our creative writing Academy delivers a year-round programme of 150+ creative writing courses, masterclasses and workshops, both online and in-person, alongside developmental programmes like NMP, the Evolution programme and a range annual residencies, competitions and bursaries.
We operate on an all-island basis and are a membership organisation and a registered charity.
For more information and interview requests contact: Damien Donnelly, Irish Writers Centre, Head of Programming
t: (+353) 1 872 1302 | e: nmp@irishwriterscentre.ie