Fingal County Council in partnership with Children’s Books Ireland and Tyrone Guthrie Centre announce the Children’s Books Bursary

Gaeilge thíos

Fingal County Council Arts Office, in partnership with Children’s Books Ireland and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, are pleased to announce an opportunity for a Professional Artist to avail of a week-long residency, to take place between 3^rd and 10^th November and 17^th and 24^th November 2025.

The bursary is designed specifically for mid-career children’s books authors or illustrators, working in English or Irish, who require time and space to focus on their craft to the benefit of their continuing careers.

With a focus on creative exchange and collaboration, Fingal County Council Arts Office will support one bursary and welcomes applications from all artists who meet the criteria.

In addition to the cost of a week’s stay at Tyrone Guthrie Centre, the bursary also provides a financial stipend of €325. To be eligible to apply applicants must be from, have studied or currently reside in Fingal. 

Sarah O’Neill, Fingal County Council Arts Officer said, ‘The Children’s Books Ireland and Tyrone Guthrie Centre bursary aligns with the key strategic goal in the Fingal Arts plan 2019-2025, to enable excellence by supporting artists and organisations to lead in innovation, collaboration and the development of original work. The weeks stay with other recipients of this bursary will allow for networking and idea sharing, from mid-career artist all over Ireland.’

Niamh Sharkey, Writer and Illustrator, recipient of the 2024 Bursary stated, "I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to focus on developing new picture books last year. It gave me the time to immerse myself in fresh ideas, and I completed rough drafts for a dummy book set to be published this June! Connecting with fellow children's book community was energizing, strengthening existing relationships and sparking new ones. The open exchange of ideas with both established and emerging writers and illustrators, as well as artists from other disciplines, was invaluable. I left with new connections that have already led to exciting collaborations."

Applications will be assessed by a selection panel comprised of representatives of Children’s Books Ireland, the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and local authority partners. The successful applicants will be notified by early September.

The closing date for applications is Friday 15^th August 2025 at 4pm.

All awarded bursaries must take place between 3^rd and 10^th November or 17^th and 24^th November 2025 to allow for creative exchange and collaboration between artists where appropriate.

Artists wishing to apply should contact info@childrensbooksireland.ie

About Niamh Sharkey:

Niamh Sharkey is the creator and executive producer of Disney Junior's animated preschool series Henry Hugglemonster, and the author of I’m a Happy Hugglewug, the children’s picture book published by Walker Books, on which the television series is based.

Niamh is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s picture books.

Among the awards Niamh's books have won, are the prestigious Mother Goose award and The Bisto Book of the Year. Her current titles with Walker Books include The Ravenous Beast, Santasaurus and her latest title On the Road with Mavis and Marge, which won the Junior Book of the Year category at the Irish Book Awards 2010.

She is a former Laureate na nÓg or Irish Laureate for Children's Literature 2012-2014.

About Children’s Books Ireland:

Children’s Books Ireland is the national charity and arts organisation that champions every child’s right to develop a love of reading. Our mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and young people in Ireland, to share our expertise and enthusiasm with the adults who guide and influence them, to champion every child’s right to excellent books and live literature events and support the artists who make that goal possible across the island of Ireland.

For further information, please see:

www.childrensbooksireland.ie

www.fingalarts.ie      

www.fingal.ie/arts  

 

Fógraíonn Comhairle Contae Fhine Gall i gcomhpháirtíocht le Leabhair Pháistí Éireann agus Ionad Tyrone Guthrie an Sparánacht Leabhair do Pháistí

 

Tá áthas ar Oifig Ealaíon Chomhairle Contae Fhine Gall, i gcomhpháirtíocht le Leabhair Pháistí Éireann agus Ionad Tyrone Guthrie, deis a fhógairt d’Ealaíontóir Gairmiúil leas a bhaint as cónaitheacht seachtaine, a bheidh ar siúl idir an 3ú agus an 10ú Samhain agus an 17ú agus an 24ú Samhain 2025.

Tá an sparánacht deartha go sonrach d’údair nó maisitheoirí leabhar leanaí lár-ghairme, atá ag obair i mBéarla nó i nGaeilge, a dteastaíonn am agus spás uathu chun díriú ar a gceird ar mhaithe lena ngairmeacha beatha leanúnacha.

Le béim ar mhalartú cruthaitheach agus ar chomhoibriú, tacóidh Oifig Ealaíon Chomhairle Contae Fhine Gall le sparánacht amháin agus fáiltíonn sí roimh iarratais ó gach ealaíontóir a chomhlíonann na critéir.

Chomh maith leis an gcostas fanachta seachtaine in Ionad Tyrone Guthrie, cuireann an sparánacht stipinn airgeadais de €325 ar fáil freisin. Le bheith incháilithe le hiarratas a dhéanamh ní mór d’iarratasóirí a bheith ó Fhine Gall, staidéar a bheith déanta acu i bhFine Gall nó cónaí ann faoi láthair. 

Dúirt Sarah O’Neill, Oifigeach Ealaíon Chomhairle Contae Fhine Gall, ‘Ailíníonn sparánacht Leabhair Pháistí Éireann agus Ionad Tyrone Guthrie leis an bpríomhsprioc straitéiseach i bplean Ealaíon Fhine Gall 2019-2025, chun sármhaitheas a chumasú trí thacú le healaíontóirí agus eagraíochtaí a bheith i gceannas ar nuálaíocht, ar chomhoibriú agus ar fhorbairt saothair bhunaidh. Ceadóidh an tréimhse chónaithe le daoine eile a fhaigheann an sparánacht seo do líonrú agus do chomhroinnt smaointe, ó ealaíontóir lár-ghairme ar fud na hÉireann.’

Dúirt Niamh Sharkey, Scríbhneoir agus Maisitheoir, faighteoir Sparánachta 2024, “Bhí mé thar a bheith buíoch as an deis díriú ar phictiúrleabhair nua a fhorbairt anuraidh. Thug sé an t-am dom mé féin a thumadh i smaointe úra, agus chríochnaigh mé dréachtaí garbha le haghaidh eagrán samplach atá le foilsiú i mí an Mheithimh seo chugainn! Bhí an nasc le comhphobal leabhar leanaí bríomhar, ag neartú caidrimh a bhí ann cheana féin agus ag spreagadh cinn nua. Bhí an malartú oscailte smaointe le scríbhneoirí agus maisitheoirí seanbhunaithe agus ag teacht chun cinn, chomh maith le healaíontóirí ó dhisciplíní eile, thar a bheith luachmhar. D'fhág mé le naisc nua a d'eascair cheana féin le comhshaothair spreagúla."

Déanfaidh painéal roghnúcháin na hiarratais a mheas ar a mbeidh ionadaithe ó Leabhair Pháistí Éireann, Ionad Tyrone Guthrie agus comhpháirtithe údaráis áitiúil. Cuirfear na hiarratasóirí rathúla ar an eolas faoi thús mhí Mheán Fómhair.

Is é an dáta deiridh le haghaidh iarratas ná Dé hAoine an 15ú Lúnasa 2025 ag 4in.

Ní mór na sparánachtaí uile a bhronntar a bheith ar siúl idir an 3ú agus an 10ú Samhain nó an 17ú agus an 24ú Samhain 2025 chun malartú cruthaitheach agus comhoibriú a éascú idir ealaíontóirí nuair is cuí.

Ba cheart d’ealaíontóirí ar mian leo iarratas a dhéanamh dul i dteagmháil le info@childrensbooksireland.ie

Maidir le Niamh Sharkey:

Is í Niamh Sharkey cruthaitheoir agus léiritheoir feidhmiúcháin na sraithe beoite réamhscolaíochta Disney Junior Henry Hugglemonster, agus údar I'm a Happy Hugglewug, an pictiúrleabhar do pháistí atá foilsithe ag Walker Books, ar a bhfuil an tsraith teilifíse bunaithe.

Is údar agus maisitheoir pictiúrleabhar do pháistí í Niamh a bhfuil duaiseanna buaite aici.

I measc na ngradam atá buaite ag leabhair Niamh, tá gradam mór le rá Mother Goose agus Leabhar na Bliana Bisto. Ar na teidil atá uirthi faoi láthair le Walker Books tá The Ravenous Beast, Santasaurus agus an teideal is déanaí uaithi On the Road le Mavis agus Marge, a bhuaigh catagóir Leabhar Sóisear na Bliana ag Gradaim Leabhar na hÉireann 2010.

Is iar-Laureate na nÓg í nó Laureate na hÉireann do Litríocht Leanaí 2012-2014.

Maidir le Leabhair Pháistí Éireann:

Is é Leabhair Pháistí Éireann an carthanacht náisiúnta agus an eagraíocht ealaíon a thacaíonn le ceart gach linbh grá don léitheoireacht a fhorbairt. Is é an misean atá againn ná grá don léitheoireacht a spreagadh i measc leanaí agus daoine óga na hÉireann, ár saineolas agus ár ndíograis a roinnt leis na daoine fásta a threoraíonn agus a imríonn tionchar orthu, cearta gach linbh ar leabhair den scoth agus imeachtaí beo litríochta a chur chun cinn agus tacú leis na healaíontóirí a bhainfidh an sprioc sin amach ar fud oileán na hÉireann.

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais, féach le do thoil:

www.childrensbooksireland.ie

www.fingalarts.ie      

www.fingal.ie/arts