‘Quite simply, I know that without The Stinging Fly I would never have had a single thing published. I attended the six month workshop in 2015–2016 and it was a transformative experience. That sounds a little excessive, but it was. It changed quite profoundly the way I think about what I read, and it made me an infinitely better writer.’—Wendy Erskine 

Our workshop programme includes an annual summer school, six-month fiction workshops, the ten by ten workshop, a four-month poetry workshop, and a residential fiction workshop.

The principal aim of the programme is to allow writers to develop their writing practice through engagement with similarly motivated individuals. We bring groups of writers together – in-person and online – so they can learn to engage more deeply with their own work and the work of others.

We aim to offer all our workshops at an affordable rate. Concession rates are offered to writers who are unwaged or on low income. We also make at least one free place available on every workshop.

***

Fiction Writing Workshops

Our 6-month workshop programme aims to provide writers with the opportunity to work with a group of similarly motivated individuals towards developing their writing practice over an expanded period of time. We currently offer three workshop formats: fully in-person, fully online via Zoom, and a hybrid workshop that includes in-person and online sessions.

In 2026/27 the following workshops will run:

In-person Fiction with Cathy Sweeney and Colin Barrett
Hybrid Fiction with Jan Carson and Mary Morrissy
Online Fiction with Danielle McLaughlin
Online Fiction with Roisin O’Donnell

The 2026/27 workshops will run from early October 2026 until April 2027. Applications will open in July 2026.

– – — — – – — — – –

Summer School

Our 2026 summer school includes in-person and online fiction workshops and online workshops in fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry.

Our in-person summer school will run from Monday 29th June to Friday 3rd July at the Irish Writers Centre.

The online summer school will run from Monday 6th July to Friday 10th July with all sessions held on Zoom.

Applications for the 2026 Summer School are now closed.

– – — — – – — — – –

The Ten by Ten Workshop

Our Ten by Ten workshop is an in-person, intermediate-level workshop for fiction writers organised jointly by The Stinging Fly and the Irish Writers Centre. Ten writers are selected to participate and the workshops run in-person in the Irish Writers Centre across ten Saturdays mornings from late February into May each year.

Writers Roisín O’Donnell and Nicole Flattery led the workshops in 2026.

– – — — – – — — – –

Poetry Workshop

Our poetry workshop aims to give poets an opportunity to engage more deeply with their work while allowing them to focus on developing their craft over an extended period of time. The workshop is intended for poets looking to take their work more seriously and to develop their craft while working with a group of like-minded individuals.

The workshop runs from the end of January until May each year.

– – — — – – — — – –

Residential Workshop with Literature Wales

We held our first residential fiction-writing workshop in August 2025 in partnership with Literature Wales. The workshop took place in Tŷ Newydd, the national writing centre of Wales, and was led by writers Mia Gallagher and Yan Ge. The next residential workshop will take place in 2027.

– – — — – – — — – –

‘The Stinging Fly’s 6-month fiction workshop is a game changer; challenging, exhilarating, and unforgettable, it completely alters the way you read and write fiction… At the end of the course I had completed a short story collection I was proud of that went on to be critically acclaimed. If I could Groundhog Day this course, I’d do it again and again for every book. Magic.’ —June Caldwell 

‘I attended the Stinging Fly summer school in 2018, and I thought I knew what to expect because I’d attended a few writing workshops before this, but the Stinging Fly school was different—the discussions were more rigorous, more challenging, more frank and generous in spirit; it was joyful. The class completely changed the way I think about the fiction I read. It pushed me to investigate what I’m interested in, in my own writing, with more commitment and care.’ —Chetna Maroo

‘It is a rare privilege to be in the company of people who understand the insecurities and anxieties that arise when you are struggling to create fiction out of all the embarrassing stuff that’s inside your head. The Stinging Fly continues to create a space where writers can learn to support and champion each other’s aspirational worlds.’ —Louise Nealon

– – — — – – — — – –