Young Kildare authors urged to enter short story competition

Author, business owner and former actress Aoibhín Garrihy has partnered with Specsavers to launch a nationwide short story competition, encouraging young Kildare authors to unleash their creativity.

This exciting initiative celebrates Specsavers’ sponsorship of the Junior and Senior Children’s Book of the Year categories at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2025.

As an author and a mother to three young children, Aoibhín is passionate about fostering a love for reading and writing. She comments: ‘As an author and a mum, I know first-hand the magic that happens when children are given the space to create. This competition isn’t just about writing a story; it’s about discovering the incredible worlds inside their own minds. Every child has a unique voice and a story waiting to be told, and this is a wonderful opportunity for children in County Kildare to share it. I can’t wait to see the imagination and talent that shines through – it’s a chance for them to inspire us all, and perhaps even win some fantastic prizes for their school!’

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Designed to ignite a passion for storytelling, the competition offers fantastic prizes. Winners in both the junior and senior categories will secure €500 for their school library, plus a collection of all titles shortlisted in the Specsavers Irish Children’s Book of the Year categories at the An Post Irish Book Awards 2025.

Aoibhín’s top tips for writing a short story:

Meet Your Hero (or Villain!): Think about your main character. What do they love? What are they scared of? What makes them unique? Giving your character a personality makes your story exciting!
Paint a Picture with Words: Where does your story take place? Use your words to describe sights, sounds, and even smells so your reader feels like they’re right there.
Start with a Spark: How can you grab your reader’s attention right away? Maybe it’s a mysterious sound, a funny discovery, or an unexpected event. Make them want to know what happens next!
Let Them Talk: What do your characters say to each other? Does their dialogue show if they’re happy, sad, or mischievous? Good conversations make your story feel real and lively.
The Big Problem: Every good story has a challenge! What problem does your character need to solve? How do they try to fix it? This is where the adventure truly begins.
Read, Read, Read!: The best writers are also great readers. Explore all kinds of books: comics, fantasy, adventure. See how other authors tell their stories and let it inspire your own ideas.

Above all, remember to have fun. Writing should be enjoyable. Let your imagination run wild, embrace silliness and surprise, and savour the process of bringing your unique story to life.

To enter Specsavers’ competition simply create a short story, no longer than 500 words, inspired by the prompt and picture below:

‘I looked around my new classroom, at the letters, the map, and numbers on the wall – then I saw it, the teacher’s secret cupboard tucked away behind my desk. There was a weird noise coming from it, so slipped off my chair and went to investigate…’

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