Blanch writer awarded Irish language bursary by Irish Writers Centre

Blanchardstown writer Alison Ní Mháirtín has been selected as an Irish language writer in residence with the Irish Writers Centre.

The aim of the bursary, according to the IWC, “is to support writers in exploring the challenges of creating during this period, and to share their process with a wider audience”.

As part of the scheme, Ní Mháirtín and fellow recipient Ava Lynch are documenting their creative practice while developing an existing work in progress; for Ní Mháirtín, that is the development of her bilingual play ‘Ciorcal’ about an Irish language conversation circle based in Ballymun.

Ní Mháirtín says: “I joined a really great Irish language conversation circle at the start of the lockdown and started thinking then about what would happen if you were reunited with someone from your past online.

“The two main characters, Aoife and Seán, went to school together and now they are reunited 25 years on.

“The play asks if people do change over time, as well as exploring bullying and its impacts.

“It is also a drama that can be ‘staged’ online or in a traditional theatre set-up so I was experimenting with form too.”

A reading of the play was held as part of Axis Ballymun’s recent ‘Scríobh’ Irish language digital theatre festival, featuring fellow Northsiders Pat McGrath and Lewis Kenny, Cara Christie, Hilary Bowen-Walsh and Eilís Carey.

The piece was directed by Ursula McGinn, with development support from Aifric Ní Ruairc, Irish Language and Projects Coordinator at Axis.

Ní Mháirtín was awarded an Associate Artist bursary with Axis as Gaeilge last year and the residency with the Irish Writers Centre means that she will now be able to develop Ciorcal further, as well as having time to reflect on her practice.

Ní Mháirtín says: “The Irish Writers Centre residency has come along at the perfect time.

“The online reading of ‘Ciorcal’ gave me lots of food for thought; the actors and director brought a lot to it in terms of the humour of the piece and character development so now I have the support and time to work on developing the script further.”

For further details see irishwriterscentre.ie or @MartinAlison on Twitter.