Meet our winning writers

Returns in 2026.

See details of 2024’s panel, jury, writers and industry guests.

Finalists 2024:

THE FAT MERMAID CLUB | HANNAH KENNEDY
A fat photography student starts a secret club where fat people can swim without judgement, forcing her to confront her own relationship with her body.

SILENCE | ALEX SALAM
A Catholic nurse discovers her dying patient led the IRA gang that abducted her father years ago, forcing her to choose between vengeance and duty.

SPELLBOUND | CHARLIE DINKIN & CHRIS ANASTASI
Medieval lovers bind themselves together for eternity, only to realise they don’t really fancy each other. 700 years later, they have to break the spell.

Returns in 2026.

See details of 2024’s panel, jury, writers and industry guests

2024 Finalists:

FRONT OF HOUSE | RHIANNON SHAW
After being fired from her corporate job, a graduate finds work at her local theatre.

HELL’S BELLES | CAROLYN SAUNDERS & SEAN STEVENSON
A mouthy medieval nun, determined to defy the patriarchy, leads a disgruntled sisterhood in an audacious plot to bust out of the convent.

MISGUIDED| CARYS THOMAS
When 16 year-old Rhiannon faces a school scandal, her at-a-loss single dad Mark makes her join the local Girl Guides group to straighten her out.

Returns in 2025.

See details of 2023’s panel, jury, writers and industry guests

2023 Finalists:

BETH VS DEATH | LYDIA RYNNE
A supernatural dramedy following a 16 year-old hypochondriac’s quest to be a normal teenager whilst trying to hold down her first job…as a Grim Reaper.

THE SILENT SONGBIRD: A MUSICAL | ELEANOR TAYLOR
When a young girl bonds with a captive silent songbird, she embarks on a personal mission to help this little bird rediscover his beautiful song.

GROWING PAINS | SEAN PHELAN
This coming of age comedy follows Sam as he navigates the quirks and tribulations of being autistic and gay during his final years of college.

Returns in 2025.

See details of 2023-2024’s panel, jury, writers and industry guests

2023-2024 finalists:

DAY JUMPERS | JAMIE HEWITT
In a future in which people are segregated to live on different days, a Monday girl and a Tuesday boy fall in love and try to escape.

MORLOCK | ANTHONY POVAH
After the RAF appears to shoot down a Russian bomber in UK airspace, a civilian air crash investigator uncovers a chilling global conspiracy.

THE NOBODIES | LUKE WILSON HANLEY & MICHAEL HOOLEY
‘The Nobodies’ follows a group of Belfast-based TV extras who are down on their luck. It asks the question: ‘If you had the insider knowledge to make an illegal bet that could change your life…would you do it?’