As The GALPAL Collective and NTA Film and TV gear up for the highly anticipated launch of the 2024 Writers Club, we're thrilled to introduce the extraordinary lineup of writers who have been selected for this year’s Club.
The Writers Club, spearheaded by the GALPAL Collective, invited applicants to submit a short film project that they would like to develop and work on throughout the duration of the club. After an overwhelming response, we're excited to announce the brilliant writers who have been selected:
- Aedamur Kelly
- Annabel Rickerby
- Ceara Carney
- Danielle Adéyínká-Uche
- David Donovan
- David Power
- David Walsh
- Eimear Reilly
- Elena Walsh O'Brien
- Gabrielle Deeny
- Greg O'Reilly
- Heather O'Sullivan
- Jack Hickey
- Jack Warren
- Jemma Curran
- Lavinia DeVito
- Leah Rogers
- Meghan O'Shaugnessy
- Mina Eusebio (Ylroy)
- Neltah Chadamoyo
- Oisin McKeogh
- Rachel Alexander
- Ruaidhri Hallinan
- Sthiti Pady
- Tess Doolan Burke
- Tari Takavarasha
These 26 talented creatives will be divided into four groups, each guided by facilitators Emer Hussey, Ian Fallon, Katie Lee Lynch, or Lucille Carolan. The program is carefully curated by Aisha Bolaji and Ashley Chadamoyo Makombe, the co-founders of The GALPAL Collective.
With a mission to support voices from marginalised and underrepresented backgrounds, the Writers Club is committed to guiding these writers as they embark on their journey into the film industry. Participants will engage in a series of sessions and exercises, including peer-to-peer feedback and workshops led by industry experts, all while building a nurturing and supportive community.
The excitement kicks off on August 16th in Dublin, where the writers and script editors will gather for the first time, joining their fellow group members, facilitators, and the wider GALPAL Collective and NTAFT team.
Read a little bit more about each of our participants below and more about our facilitators HERE.
Aedamur Kelly is a writer and mindfulness teacher living in Cork. She is currently working on her debut film project.
Annabell Rickerby is a former actress and aspiring screenwriter. Under the mentorship of the GALPAL Collective, Annabell intends to continue developing her work to a professional standard.
Ceara Carney is an actor but wrote her debut short, a poetry film called The Residents of 49, earlier this year which premiered at the Bloomsday Film Festival in June.
Danielle Adéyínká-Uche is a 2x award nominated stage manager and multi-disciplinary creative. They have a passion for all things horror and afrocentric fantasy.
David Donovan is a playwright and short story writer from Cork. His recent work includes the play To The Bone which was presented at IDGTF 2024.
David Power is a writer and script editor from Cork. He graduated from the MA in Screenwriting at IADT and his script "Showpig" won Best Short Screenplay at the Catalyst International Film Festival 2024.
David Walsh is a development enthusiast originally from Limerick and now living in Dublin. He has worked previously as a script reader with Keeper Pictures.
Eimear Reilly is a writer from Longford, living in Dublin. Her first short film 'All That's Carried' premiered at Galway Film Fleadh where it won the award for Best Cinematography in a Short Film.
Elena Walsh O’Brien is a 4th year film student at the National Film School in IADT. She is one of five to be chosen to direct an NFS Grad Film this year.
Gabrielle Deeny is a writer-director based between Dublin and Belfast. Her comedy short Life Ruiner is currently in its festival run.
Greg O’Reilly is a camera assistant living in Dublin and Meghan O’Shaughnessy is a writer & director from Limerick. Together they are majored in directing at IADT.
Heather O'Sullivan is an actor and writer from Dublin. She is currently in pre-production for her first short film.
Jack Hickey is Creative Director and co-founder of the IFTA-nominated Copper Alley Productions, and is a multi-award winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and actor.
Jack Warren is a filmmaker and writer based in Dublin. Their short film Papergirl has played at the GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival, the Spook Screen Cork, and Soho Horror Fest, as well as at the Irish Film Institute as a part of the Small Trans Library's Trans Horror on Screen event.
Jemma Curran is a writer from Mullingar, based in Dublin. She was one of the three writers chosen for the Scripts' Alive and Online festival, and her script Dearbhla McReidy Is A Star! was a quarter-finalist at Kerry International Film Festival.
Lavinia De Vito is a documentary filmmaker and cinematographer based in Dublin. She is in pre-production for her first funded documentary project and is developing her fiction writing.
Leah Rogers is a writer and actor based in Wicklow. Beginning her career as a theatre maker in London, Leah is now transitioning to screen and just wrapped on her first short film.
Mina Eusebio (also known as Ylroy) is an Irish-Filipino artist based in North County Dublin. Primarily a singer-songwriter, their debut EP 'Three Flowers For My Beloved' was released in October 2023.
Neltah Chadamoyo is a writer, script writer, poet and editor living in Dublin. She recently read a script of her solo play called "Embracing Origins" which she will be performing next year.
Oisín McKeogh is a writer and director from Clare. He recently graduated from the NFS with a specialisation in Direction at IADT and is currently developing his next short.
Rachel Alexander is a writer based in Birr, Offaly. Her first original feature film, Aubrey Strawberry, is in development with Lammas Park.
Ruaidhrí Hallinan is an emerging writer based in the West of Ireland who recently won the 2023 Ardán commission with his script "Remote Strutting" which screened at Galway Film Fleadh this year. He also co-wrote "Where The Old Man Lives" starring Michael Harding and Ruth McCabe which will be screened at the Oscars qualifying Edmonton Film Festival later in the year.
Sthiti Padhy is an Indian-Irish filmmaker based in Dublin, she graduated from IADT in 2023. The recent film she edited Amœba was recently shown at Gaze and the recent film she wrote was shown at Fastnet.
Tess Doolan Burke is an Irish writer and filmmaker. Tess recently completed her studies at the NFS (IADT) with a specialisation in Direction. Her graduate short film, Florence screened at this year's Galway Film Fleadh.
Tari Takavarasha is a Dublin based writer and performance poet, their show The Language I Cannot Speak was featured as part of the Dublin International Literature Festival
For more information, please contact: eibh.collins@nationaltalentacademies.ie
The National Talent Academy for Film and TV Drama is an initiative of Screen Ireland managed by Ardán