iCRAG and The Mary Lavin Centre for Creative Writing at UCD launch 'Writing Place, Writing Planet'

Ireland has a rich history of impactful literature. iCRAG, in partnership with The UCD Mary Lavin Centre for Creative Writing, is delighted to launch a fully-funded, collaborative creative writing programme that builds on the (opens in a new window)Writing the Earth pilot previously run with the Irish Writers Centre. 

Writing Place, Writing Planet wishes to continue strengthening ties between geoscience and literature by bringing writers and scientists together to explore aspects of iCRAG’s research through the medium of creative writing. 

When literature and science blend, insightful pieces of work can emerge. Writers try to make sense of the world through creativity and prose, while geoscientists try to do so through the scientific method. Both involve research and exploration, but it is often the writers that touch the minds of many, provoking thoughts about our shared futures on this changing planet. 

With additional inspiration from Writing the Environment, a successful creative writing module run by Dr. Paula McGrath at UCD, participating writers will explore connections between place, planet, landscape and humanity, through immersion in scientist co-creation sessions, a field trip, on-going knowledge sharing and writing mentorship. This process of collaboration will culminate in a new piece of written work, which will be publicly showcased during Heritage Week 2026. 

We will select three writers, writing in fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, hybrid forms or those writing for stage/live performance. We are seeking emerging writers who have had some measure of success with their writing (e.g., with journals or online publications). The three chosen writers will receive an honorarium of €1000 for their work in the programme.

More detailed information about the programme and how to apply as a writer can be found on the UCD School of English website. The application deadline for writers is 5pm February 16th 2026.