Young Writers Project
Young Participants
In our contemporary society, the realities and lived experiences of young people often go unnoticed or are misrepresented within our mainstream culture.
Letterkenny
This project offered a developmental framework for two groups of young people from Derry/Londonderry and Donegal to develop authentic and meaningful stories and youth narratives through poetry, prose and spoken word. Through a series of workshops with writer Mary Branley, the young people were encouraged to develop their individual voices in response to their cultural landscape and as a reflection of their own ideas and interests. This broadsheet contains a selection of the young people’s work, which draws on strong social concerns as well as imagined narratives that sometimes delve into science fiction or futuristic possibilities. The project culminated in a special performance and launch event in November 2018, at which both groups of young people came together to share their work with a public audience. This project was managed and developed by Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership, a children’s arts organisation and publishing house, in collaboration with Donegal County Council Library Service and Libraries NI. Kids’ Own is proud to be funded by the Arts Council of Ireland. This project was generously supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund.
Acknowledgements Project writer Mary Branley. Project partners Donegal County Council Library Service and Libraries NI. Special thanks to Donna Cavanagh, Senior Executive Librarian, Donegal County Council Library Service; Maura Craig, Area Manager, Libraries NI; Rory Gallagher, Executive Librarian, Donegal County Council Library Service; Diane Thomson, Branch Library Manager, Strathfoyle Library; Eamonn O’Donnell and Helena McAuley from Enagh Youth Forum. Kids’ Own team Jo Holmwood, Acting Director; Emma Kavanagh, Project Manager; Alice Lyons, Project Manager; Ciara Gallagher, Office Administrator. Broadsheet design Martin Corr. Sound production Anthony McManus.
www.kidsown.ie
Aaliyah Mullen Aoibhe McCaffrey Evie Sandilands Alex Bond Kayla Canavan Samantha-Rose Bradley Sarah King Sinéad McHugh Síofra McGarrigle Victoria Adeogun
Strathfoyle Cora Wong Darragh O’Brien Ellie Dixon Emily Ross Kaelin Pyper Katie Crossan Kyra Tracy Milly Hull Riona McGlinchey Sarah Doherty Seanan Brown
young Writers Broadsheet
A selection of works by young writers from Letterkenny and Strathfoyle published by Kids’ Own Publishing Parnership, in collaboration with Donegal County Council Library Service and Libraries NI