Galway City Council Arts Office funds the mentorships to guarantee that the chosen awardees receives this potentially career-changing support free of charge. The 2025 programme is co-funded by a remarkable collective of county arts offices, libraries, arts centres, and other cultural bodies across Ireland, ensuring that local talent from diverse counties is identified and nurtured.
Your mentee details are as follows (contact, bio, social media and quote):
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Bern Butler
Bern Butler is from Galway and works in Adult and Prison Education. Her poetry has appeared in many publications including: The Ropes Anthology, North West Words, Abridged, The Ireland Chair of Poetry, Dodging Rain, Ink, Sweat and Tears, The Madrigal, Martello Tower, Skylight 47, The High Window, Ragaire and Crannóg. She read at Cuirt’s New Writing Showcase 2021. She was selected by The Stinging Fly to take part in a poetry workshop with poet, Martina Evans in July 2025. She has an MA in Writing from NUIG.
"I hope the mentoring provided by the Irish Writers Centre will help me to identify strengths and address weaknesses (like over-editing for example) in my work. Also that it might advise on how to create form and cohesion in the work produced to date."
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Barry Neenan
A Galway-based librarian, Barry has been writing fiction of all kinds since childhood. A firm believer that a story can be both exciting and thoughtful, he strives to balance gripping plots and memorable casts with deeper themes beneath the action. Dialogue is his forte, especially as an avenue to let sharply contrasting characters verbally spar, but he has also enjoyed some success with poetry (winning the 2024 Poetic Justice competition organized by ATU Donegal) and literary short stories (first appearing in a national context by winning a 2016 Hot Press competition, telling "the story of Ireland" in exactly 500 words).
"I've been writing for some years now, but my job as a librarian fills my weekdays. My main goal as a mentee is to learn how to make the best use of my time, giving me more chance to contribute to Ireland's vibrant writing scene!"
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Kate McHugh
Kate McHugh is a writer from Galway, Ireland. With a degree in Creative Writing, English, and French, she is currently working towards a first collection of poetry. Her poems have previously been published in ROPES, Southword, Drawn to the Light Press, Crannóg, and more. She also enjoys writing short stories and hopes to explore the world of longer fiction in the future.
"Alongside being paired with an Irish writer who will guide me towards better understanding the workings of the literary world, I hope that this programme will help to shape my poetic voice and sharpen my writing instincts. I’m delighted to have been accepted, and very excited to see how my writing will take on new direction."
Now in its eighth year, the National Mentoring Programme (NMP) has become one of the most significant supports for emerging and mid-career writers across Ireland. Run by the Irish Writers Centre – the country’s leading organisation for writer development – the initiative plays a crucial role in shaping Ireland’s literary landscape by nurturing talent at pivotal stages in a writer’s journey.
Since its founding in 1991, the Irish Writers Centre’s mission has been to support the life of the writer – those whose ideas and words illuminate and influence the culture around us.
The impact of the National Mentoring Programme is evident in the success of its alumni, many of whom have gone on to be published and celebrated widely. Past mentees include Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe, Fíona Scarlett, Will Keohane and Victoria Kennefick – all of whom are now recognised names in Irish writing.
For more information about the Irish Writers Centre’s National Mentoring Programme, visit irishwriterscentre.ie.
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