Ros na Rún, the long-running TG4 soap has announced an Irish Language Creative Writing Competition sponsored by Kennys Bookshop.
Producers of Ireland's only Irish Language and rural based TV soap opera are inviting children and young people to showcase their Irish Language, creative writing talents and imagination with a Short Story Writing Competition sponsored by Kennys bookshop in Galway.
Aspirant young writers are asked to write with two themes in mind. Firstly,candidates must choose their preferred Ros na Rún character, whom they would most like to self- isolate with and how they imagine a 14-day quarantine would transpire with the chosen character.
The second theme looks at what the future holds for the writer, post the Coronavirus outbreak - will life as they have known it so far change?
The competition is open to three age categories, namely, 6 to 9 year old children, and those aged between 10 to 14 years. The latter entrants are asked to submit 300 word creations in Irish. The third category is aimed at 15 to 18 year old students who are required to submit 500 word pieces in Irish to Ros na Rún.
The initiative is aimed at supporting parents who are home schooling their children to focus on the use of the Irish language and writing skills.
"Ros na Rún is all about telling stories and creating real life drama for TG4 TV audiences", says Marion Ní Loingsigh, who is Ros na Rún's series producer.
"Families and people of all ages are confined to home, and need positive and constructive outlets to focus their minds and imagination at this challenging time. From the experience of cast and crew who are currently home schooling, and those of us working behind in the scenes on completion of the story-lines for our 25th season next Autumn, we thought it a fitting way to engage with our audience by launching a short story writing competition."
Ní Loingsigh continued: "Ros na Rún is always keen to support learning, education, creative writing, people’s imagination and of course the Irish Language, all of which contribute weekly to the success of our TV drama."
Ros na Rún is now in its 24th season on TG4. Celebrating 80 seasons - indeed years - of thriving business in books, Kennys are sponsoring three book hampers to the value of €50 each for the winners of each age group category.
The exclusive hampers will include a combination of Irish language and English books for the winning writers. Runners-up in each category will receive an Ros na Rún goodie bag.
The Ros na Rún short story writing competition judging panel will include leading actors with the TG4 soap opera, Niall Mac Eachmharcaigh from the Donegal Gaeltacht. Niall is an accomplished writer and plays the part of John Joe Daly. Also judging is Domhnall O’Donoghue who plays Pádraig - Domhnall is an accomplished travel writer and published fiction writer.
Tom Kenny, Director of Kennys Bookshop and Gallery Galway and leading historian will also be on the judging panel. Writers are asked to have their completed entries to leiriuchain@rosnarun.com no later than 5pm on April 24, 2020.
The winners in each category will have the opportunity to read from their winning creation on the TV set of Ros na Rún ahead of the opening of series 25.
Ros na Rún airsTuesday, Thursday, 8.30pm onTG4; Omnibus edition, tonight Sunday - and every Sunday - at 7.30pm.
Read of oncoming drama in next week's two episodes, including the fall-out from a decision to move to Australia, plus the sinister truth about what happened Caitríona's mobile phone here
