In 2019 Creative Ireland Programme teamed up with Fighting Words to support to their wonderful programme that brings the joy of the creative writing to thousands of young Irish people.

Since its establishment Fighting Words has provided free tutoring, mentoring and publishing in creative writing. It has reached more than 120,000 children and young people around the country in ten years. It aims to help children and young people (and adults who did not have this opportunity as children) to discover and harness the power of their own imaginations and creative writing skills.

During Cruinniú na nÓg 2020 we worked with Fighting Words and The Great Lighthouses of Ireland to bring The Creative Ireland’s programme partnership with Fighting Words continues to thrive. Their wonderful “Young Storykeepers” campaign which attracted over 1,256 entries more than four times the expected number of entries. The success of this has led to a new project The “12 Stories of Christmas” project is aimed at 6-10 year olds in primary schools throughout Ireland. It is a direct response from Fighting Words to concerns raised by small children that Christmas will not go ahead this year.

Fighting Words asked  12 authors including Cecilia Ahern, Eoin Colfer, Lisa McGee, Roddy Doyle ,Stephen James Smith and  Louise O’Neill to write a 200 word Christmas story beginnings which children can complete them and  upload them onto Facebook and Instagram . The story beginnings will be read and filmed by  Hilary Rose, Bronagh Gallagher, Shane Casey, Una Kavanagh, Stephen James Smith amongst others.