Mayo arts centre sow seeds in celebration of writing for local students

Fighting Words, The Linenhall Arts Centre and Mayo County Library hosted a weeklong celebration of writing for secondary schools in Castlebar called Story Seeds.

Creative writing is a skill anyone can learn, develop and enjoy and the Story Seeds project is aimed at not only introducing young people to creative writing but also to strengthen their positive sense of themselves and to allow them to re-imagine the negatives in their lives and transform their sense of place and possibility.

Fighting Words mentors guided the workshops which were split into three sections: collective writing, individual writing, and sharing. The workshops were attended by students from St Geralds DLS, Castlebar, St Joseph's Convent of Mercy, Castlebar, and Rice College, Westport. The workshops took place in two locations: The Linenhall Arts Centre and Mayo County Library, allowing almost 200 students to take part!

“We were delighted to partner with Fighting Words and Mayo County Library on this project. The stories created in the workshops were a joy to hear. The ghost of Lord Lucan haunting a local school was just one of the memorable tales that emerged. The cohort of students who participated were fantastic, eager to learn, share ideas and develop new skills, ” explained Deirdre Melvin, Arts Access Officer, The Linenhall Arts Centre.

Writing can benefit creativity, expression and self-confidence. Skills which students can take with them and apply to their daily lives outside of the classroom. The organisers would like to thank Paul Soye and Andrew Pelham-Burn for their role in making the week such a success. Given the large demand from schools across Mayo for the workshops it is hoped the free programme will return again soon.