Local writer Trish Norton is chosen for the Irish Writers Centre’s prestigious National Mentoring Programme 2025, following an exceptional response to this year’s nationwide callout, which attracted 354 applicants. Each selected writer will receive one-to-one mentoring from an established writer, offering invaluable creative and professional guidance over the coming months.
County Kilkenny Arts Office funds the mentorship to guarantee that the chosen awardee 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.
Trish is an accomplished writer of both prose and poetry. She holds an MPhil in Creative Writing from Trinity College Dublin and is a graduate of the prestigious Columbia School of the Arts in New York, where she studied Strategic Storytelling. A two-time recipient of the Kilkenny Arts Office’s Your Voice Matters programme, Trisha has performed her work at renowned events including the West Cork Literary Festival and the Kilkenny Arts Festival. She has completed her first novel and is now working on her second. Currently, Trisha is preparing to publish her debut collection of poetry.
“I’m entering this mentorship with curiosity and an open heart, ready to reconnect with the joy that first drew me to write this story. With my mentor’s guidance, I hope to shape it into its most honest form — something true enough to find its place in the world and reach the people it’s meant for. “
You can follow Trish at: https://www.instagram.com/trishanorton.ie/
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.
