Moniack Mhor is inviting applications from established writers working in Irish Gaelic or Scottish Gaelic for Co-chànan/ Comhtheanga: a hybrid digital and in-person residency exploring the creative relationships between these sister languages, and connecting Irish and Scottish Gaelic speaking communities.
One Irish Gaelic writer and one Scottish Gaelic writer will join Moniack Mhor’s International Residency in September 2024 to explore and enrich their creative practice, alongside writers from Ukraine, Scotland, Aotearoa, and the 2024 Moniack Mhor Jessie Kesson Fellow.
Prior to the residency, the participating writers will meet online to share their work with one another and consider collaborative themes. These themes will then be developed into a workshop to be co-delivered to young people in the Scottish Highlands and in Ireland via Zoom in September. After the residency, the writers will perform and discuss their work at an online event attended by Irish and Scottish Gaelic speaking communities.
Co-chànan/ Comhtheanga is open to writers working in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, playwriting, screenwriting, or songwriting (more information on eligibility below). The programme includes:
- 2-week residency at Moniack Mhor Writers Centre from 2nd September – 14th September 2024
- Performance at a live international writers-in-residence reading event at Moniack Mhor
- Online meetings prior to the in-person residency
- Co-delivery of an online/in-person workshop to young people in the Scottish Highlands and in Ireland
- Delivery of a final online reading and conversation event in October/November
- Travel to Moniack Mhor, accommodation, and food
- £1000 stipend each
This residency is generously funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Foras na Gaeilge through the Colmcille Fund.
Eligibility
This residency is open to established writers working in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, songwriting, screenwriting, or playwriting, and working in Irish Gaelic or Scottish Gaelic. To be eligible for this residency, applicants must have had at least one major piece of work published by a UK/Irish publishing house (for example, one novel, one short-story collection, one poetry pamphlet or collection, one album, or had one professional production of their work staged). It is also desirable that applicants have experience of delivering workshops or working with children and young people. The residency is open writers living in Ireland and Scotland, or Irish and Scottish writers living elsewhere in the UK. Travel costs within the UK and Ireland will be covered by the residency. We would particularly encourage applications from those who experience barriers to the writing process.
Application
The selection panel for this residency includes writers Kevin MacNeil and Róisín Costello, and representatives from Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Foras na Gaeilge, and Moniack Mhor.
Please apply by sending one document (preferably in Microsoft Word format, but Pages and PDF are also accepted):
In English:
- A brief CV which includes previous experience of work with young people and/or community groups.
- A covering letter demonstrating your qualifications for the fellowship and how it would benefit your work.
In Gaelic:
- A sample of your work (maximum 2,000 words, or 6 pages of poetry, doubled-spaced and single-sided)
- We would also appreciate if you were able to complete our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Monitoring Form, link to online form here. The information in this form is gathered anonymously.
Applications open on Monday 15th April 2024 and close at 23:59 on Monday 6th May, 2024. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by end of May 2024.
Applications should be sent by email to: residencies@moniackmhor.org.uk with the subject line Co-chànan/ Comhtheanga. You will receive an automatic email confirming receipt of your submission. Please contact us on info@moniackmhor.org.uk if you do not receive the automatic reply. (Please do check your spam or junk folder first.)
Applications can also be submitted by post to Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre, Teavarran, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire IV4 7HT. Please let us know by email or phone if you are submitting by post.
For any enquiries relating to this residency, please contact us on residencies@moniackmhor.org.uk or telephone 01463 592 828.
