Wexford woman awarded All-Ireland Scholarship for her heartfelt depiction of the ‘frightening love parents feel for their children'
Kim from Gorey was presented with her award by competition judge and renowned author Donal Ryan at a special awards ceremony in Adare Manor on Tuesday, April 29.
Speaking on the competition, Kim said, 'I have always loved writing, and I have been writing since I can remember. I think language and stories have an incredible ability to create connections between people. I entered this competition because I wanted more people to read about my (very ordinary) lived experience.
"My piece is about being a parent, and the extraordinary importance of children, and I thought that was a message that people might relate to and connect with.'
Sponsored by JP McManus, the competition is now in its fifth year and is open to all members of the All-Ireland Scholarships Alumni Association. This year's competition focused on the short form written word with fiction, non-fiction, op-ed and poetry categories.
This year's judging panel included Donal Ryan, Professor Eoin Devereux, Dr Emily Cullen and winner of the 2024 competition, Surnaí Molloy. The judging process was chaired by Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, Head of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.
Kim received the All Ireland Scholarship in 2008 and went on to pursue a BA Hons in English Literature and Classical Civilisation at Trinity College Dublin. She then completed an M Phil in Children's Literature, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, also at Trinity College Dublin. Kim now works as a post-primary teacher in Gorey Community School, where she teaches English and Classical Studies.
The judges described Kim's piece as, 'a charming, heartfelt writing style, capturing so much about the frightening love parents feel for their children'.
The All Ireland Scholarships, established by JP McManus in 2008, provides financial support to gifted students pursuing third-level education. Each year, 125 scholarships are awarded across Ireland.
Recipients receive €6,750 per annum in Ireland and £5,500 per annum in Northern Ireland, covering the duration of their undergraduate studies. The third level educational scholarship is awarded to 125 of the highest achieving students per year, with a minimum of two students from each county.
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