Irish Writers Centre

What Irish Writers Centre does

The Irish Writers Centre is a registered charity and membership organisation founded in 1991, operating on an all-island basis from its headquarters at 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1, to support writers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Centre delivers a portfolio organised around three core pillars: an Academy running 150+ creative writing courses, masterclasses and seminars per year (online via Zoom and in-person); a suite of development programmes including the Evolution Programme for published writers, New Voices: North for emerging Northern Ireland writers, the National Mentoring Programme, and one-to-one mentoring; and residencies at Cill Rialaig (County Kerry) and Annaghmakerrig (County Monaghan, via the Tyrone Guthrie Centre). It also runs flagship competitions (International Debut Novel Competition, Eugene McCabe Short Story Award, Climate Writing Prize), on-site writing groups (Inkslingers, New Irish Communities, Novel Workshop, Sapphire, Bealtaire), an online Resources hub (competitions listings, craft advice, bursaries directory), venue hire, and an inaugural Words on the Page Summer Sessions event.

The underlying technology stack is commodity SaaS rather than proprietary infrastructure: Stripe handles payments, Mailchimp powers newsletters, Eventbrite ticks events, Submittable and Google Forms manage residency and programme applications, Zoom delivers online courses, YouTube and Dublin Digital Radio distribute video/audio, and Google Analytics and CookieYes provide web analytics and GDPR consent. There is no proprietary AI, model, or platform; technology functions as operational plumbing rather than a product differentiator.

The business model is a mixed non-profit revenue stack: course and workshop fees (€10 single workshops, €250 8-week courses, €300 10-week courses), recurring annual membership subscriptions, individual donations tiered €100–€5,000 plus a Patrons Programme at €5,000 (with named patrons including Marian Keyes, KPMG, Staycity, the Rooney Prize), and core/project grant funding from Arts Council Ireland, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Dublin City Council and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature. The Centre reports supporting 2,500+ writers annually, operates with a staff of 27, and is led by CEO Mags McLoughlin.

Name

Irish Writers Centre

Legal name

Irish Writers Centre

Website

https://irishwriterscentre.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Irish Writers Centre, founded 1991 and based in Dublin, is a registered charity and all-island membership organisation delivering creative writing courses, mentoring, residencies, competitions, and writer development programmes to emerging and established writers across Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Writing Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Writing Craft & Technique Workshops (Voice, Structure, Character, Style) (EDAMAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAL), Writing Retreats & Intensive Bootcamps (EDAMAMAK), Publishing & Submission Prep Workshops (Query Letters, Agents, Journals) (EDAMAMAI), Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ), Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing) (MPAJAJAF)

Keywords

• Creative writing courses
• Literary development programs
• Writer mentoring services
• Writing residencies
• Literary competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course and Workshop Fees: The Irish Writers Centre generates revenue through course fees ranging from €10 for workshops to €300 for 10-week courses. They offer membership discounts on all courses.
2. Membership Subscriptions: The organization operates as a membership organization offering annual memberships that provide access to writing space, course discounts, networking opportunities, and other member benefits.
3. Donations and Patrons Programme: Individual donations ranging from €100 to €5,000+ and a Patrons Programme where patrons contribute €5,000 for exclusive benefits. Patrons include Marian Keyes, KPMG, Staycity, The Rooney Prize.
4. Government Funding: Core funding from Arts Council of Ireland, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and Dublin City Council to support programming and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Irish Writers Centre delivers a year-round Academy programme of 150+ creative writing courses, masterclasses, and seminars online and in-person, alongside structured development programmes (Evolution Programme, New Voices: North, National Mentoring Programme), one-to-one mentoring, residencies (Cill Rialaig in Kerry and Annaghmakerrig in Monaghan), and flagship competitions such as the International Debut Novel Competition and the Eugene McCabe Short Story Award. Membership, writing groups, a bursaries & funding directory, and venue hire at the Parnell Square headquarters round out the offering.

Product overview

The Irish Writers Centre is Ireland's leading resource and development organisation for writers, founded in 1991 and operating on an all-island basis. Its core offering is a comprehensive ecosystem of creative writing education and professional development products organised around three pillars: (1) the Academy, which delivers 150+ year-round creative writing courses, masterclasses, and seminars online and in-person, covering fiction, poetry, playwriting, children's writing, sci-fi/fantasy, and video game writing; (2) development programmes including the Evolution Programme (for published writers with 1-2 books), the New Voices series (for emerging writers), the National Mentoring Programme, and one-to-one mentoring; and (3) residencies including the Cill Rialaig Residencies (County Kerry) and Annaghmakerrig Residencies (County Monaghan, via the Tyrone Guthrie Centre). The Centre also runs flagship competitions (International Debut Novel Competition, Eugene McCabe Short Story Award, Climate Writing Prize), spotlights independent Irish literary journals (Profiles, Sci-Fi Ireland, The Four Faced Liar, Scrimshaw), and provides a membership programme, writing groups, a bursaries & funding directory, and venue hire. Support structures include the Patrons Programme and Donate Now channels. The portfolio is complemented by resources (competitions listings, craft advice, publishing guidance) and events including the Words on the Page Summer Sessions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• Support 2,500+ writers annually
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, moderate and minor.

• Monaghan County LibrariesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026Partnership with Monaghan County Libraries to deliver The Eugene McCabe Short Story Award, a new literary prize for unpublished short story fiction established in 2026.
• Belfast Book FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual literary festival in Belfast. The New Voices: North programme culminates in a public showcase featured in the official Belfast Book Festival programme.
• Mary Immaculate College, University of LimerickmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the Eugene McCabe Short Story Award partnership, providing expertise in English Language and Literature.
• The Tyrone Guthrie Centre at AnnaghmakerrigcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border arts organization providing residencies for the Irish Writers Centre. The partnership delivers the Annaghmakerrig Residency Awards providing one-week stays for writers at the Centre in County Monaghan.
• Cill Rialaig ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides remote pre-famine stone cottages at Bolus Head, County Kerry for the Irish Writers Centre Cill Rialaig Residencies. Writers stay in these remote cottages, locally known as 'the edge of the world,' for 10-day residencies.
• University of GalwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing paid teaching residencies for Evolution Programme participants. Writers teach on the BA in English and Creative Writing programme. Co-created with Irish Writers Centre Ambassador Mike McCormack and Dr. John Kenny.
• Dublin UNESCO City of LiteraturemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Creative City of Literature designation supporting literary activities in Dublin. Provides funding for literary journals including Profiles.
• No Alibis BookshopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent bookshop in Belfast hosting launches and events for Irish Writers Centre programmes and literary journals.
• Seamus Heaney CentremoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiterary centre at Queen's University Belfast. Linked with Sci-Fi Ireland magazine and provides venue and programming support for Northern Ireland literary activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bread Loaf Writers' Conference: Long-running US creative writing conference associated with Middlebury College offering workshops, lectures, and agent meetings for writers. Comparable in providing intensive multi-day writing education and direct access to industry professionals.
• Arvon Foundation: UK charity running residential and online creative writing courses, masterclasses, and mentoring programmes for aspiring writers. Closely comparable offering to the Irish Writers Centre's Academy, including intensive retreats and structured learning cohorts.
• Faber Academy: Creative writing school run by Faber & Faber offering part-time and short courses in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and publishing. Overlaps directly with the Irish Writers Centre's Academy curriculum across genres and skill levels.
• The Literary Consultancy: UK editorial services organisation providing manuscript appraisals, mentoring, and editorial coaching for writers. Highly comparable to the Irish Writers Centre's National Mentoring Programme and manuscript-development work.
• Curtis Brown Creative: UK creative writing school delivering novel-writing courses, masterclasses, and mentoring programmes aimed at getting writers published. Directly comparable in offering, audience, and focus on publishing pathway support.
• GrubStreet: US non-profit creative writing center offering 150+ classes, workshops, and one-to-one manuscript consultations to thousands of writers annually. Closely matches the Irish Writers Centre in non-profit structure, course breadth, and scale of writers served.
• Tin House: US literary organisation combining a respected literary magazine with writing workshops, residencies, and a book prize. Comparable in combining literary publishing, courses, and a community-development mission.
• Scottish Book Trust: National non-profit literature development organisation in Scotland delivering creative writing programmes, mentoring, and grants for writers across all stages, funded by Creative Scotland. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and public-funding model to the Irish Writers Centre.
• Hedgebrook: US non-profit supporting women writers through residencies, workshops, and leadership programmes. Comparable in mission-driven literary development, residency offerings, and non-profit funding model.

Emerging players

• Gotham Writers Workshop: US-based online creative writing school offering live and self-paced courses across multiple genres to a global audience. Comparable online-first delivery model that overlaps with the Irish Writers Centre's hybrid Academy offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=6Bd6rZscbmw&t=9s
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irish-writers'-centre

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Irish Writers Centre