Writing Competitions
Edinburgh Short Story Award
Competition deadline: 28th February 2025 Edinburgh Short Story Award. Entries open now for writers worldwide
Fish Publishing Short Story Prize 2024
Competition deadline: 30th November 2024 The Fish Publishing Short Story Prize 2024 is open and
Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024
Competition deadline: 14th November 2024 The Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2024 is open
National Poetry Competition (UK) 2024
Competition deadline: 31st October 2024 The National Poetry Competition 2024 is now open until 31
Anthology Short Story Competition 2025
Competition deadline: 31st July 2025 The Anthology Short Story Competition was established to recognise and
Free Flash Fiction Competition Twenty-Four
Competition deadline: 23rd October 2024 The Free Flash Fiction website is a space to …
The Women’s Prize Trust: Discoveries
Competition deadline: 13th January 2025 Discoveries is the Women’s Prize’s writer development programme designed to
Anthology Travel Writing Competition 2024
Competition deadline: 30th November 2024 Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences
Ireland’s Own Writing Competition 2024
Competition deadline: 30th September 2024 IRELAND’S OWN is pleased to announce details of their 2024
Reedsy Short Story Prompt Competition
Competition deadline 13th September 2024 This month, Writing.ie/Writers Ink are collaborating on a special contest
Mslexia Women’s Fiction Competition 2024: Short Story
Competition deadline: 23rd September 2024 Read by top authors and absolute beginners, Mslexia is a
James Tate Poetry Chapbook Contest 2024
Competition deadline: 31st August 2024 Submissions are open for the James Tate Poetry Chapbook Contest
Bangor Poetry Competition 2024
Competition deadline extended: 14th September 2024 Bangor Poetry Competition 2024 are now accepting poems on
Anthology Poetry Competition 2024
Competition deadline: 31st October 2024 Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of
Best in Rural Writing Contest 2024
Competition deadline: September 30th 2024 The Milk House and The Daily Yonder invite submissions to
The Kindle Storyteller Award 2024
Competition deadline: 31st August 2024 The Kindle Storyteller Award is a £20,000 literary prize recognising
The Moth Nature Writing Prize 2024
Competition deadline: 30th September 2024 The Moth Nature Writing Prize aims to encourage and celebrate
SaveAs Writers’ International Writing Competition 2024
Competition deadline: 31st August 2024 We are very pleased to announce our next annual writing
Competition: The Caledonia Novel Award 2025
Competition deadline: 15th October 2024 The Caledonia Novel Award 2025 is an Edinburgh-based international writing
Wild Atlantic Words Short Story Competition 2024
Competition deadline: 31st July 2024 As part of the 2024 Wild Atlantic Words festival, the
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Oireachtas Essay Competition
Competition Details
We invite you to submit essays in English or Irish on the subject ‘Parliamentary Politics Liberates’ or ‘Saorann an Pholaitíocht Pharlaiminteach’.
This essay competition is open to all Senior Cycle students on the Island of Ireland, i.e. Transition Year, 5th Year and 6th Year students in the Republic and to all AS level/A level students.
Its purpose is to encourage you to explore aspects of politics in an original and thought-provoking way.
It is not limited to the school curriculum. You are free (and encouraged) to explore beyond the curriculum.
Naturally, you can use what you have learned so far to inspire you. What you have studied, or are currently studying, in History, Economics, Business Studies, Religious Education, Politics and Society, Irish, English, and other subjects can provide avenues for further research.
Think about times you have wondered:
– Why is something the way it is? – Where did this idea or concept or way of doing things come from? – Who benefits and / or does not benefit from this? – Are there other, better, or worse alternatives? – etc…
Use newspapers and magazines, newspaper archives, your school or local town or college library, academic papers, the internet etc to aid your research. Be conscious of the quality of your sources.
Expect to draft and re-draft your essay before you are completely happy with it.
Ask teachers, family members, and friends to read your draft and offer feedback. (NOTE: The essay must be your own work, although you may avail of technical assistance in putting it into digital format and submitting it.)
Criteria for success:
The judges who will read and assess your essay are looking for the following:
Writing and presentation skills
- Essay must be between 900 and 1,000 words.
- References / citations must be provided.
- References / citations are not included in the word count.
- Font: Times New Roman or Arial.
- Font size: 12.
- Line spacing: Double-spaced.
- Paragraphs.
- Concise, lucid language.
- Lively, engaging expression.
Evidence of research
- Evidence that a range of sources has been consulted.
- Context: a sense of where your argument fits (for example: theoretically, philosophically, historically, economically, etc.).
Strength of argument
- Clarity of purpose: Account for why you have chosen this topic, and why you have chosen your line of argument in particular.
- Engage consistently with argument throughout essay.
- Demonstrate ability to interpret, synthesise, and apply knowledge and understandings gained from your research.
Overall coherence
- Present a clearly structured argument (beginning, middle, and end).
- Manage and sustain your ideas throughout the essay.
- Use good quality, clear language (English or Irish).
- Expression should be lively, engaging, appropriate.
- Demonstrate ability to communicate argument and conclusions clearly to a wide audience.
”What a winning essay looks like” – read the essays from previous year’s National Winners
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