IRELAND’S LARGEST aid agency, Concern Worldwide, has announced the winners in its 2011 Creative Writing competition.
In the adult categories, the first three prizes were picked up from writers in Australia, Canada and the Virgin Islands.
In the college category, Paul Kelly, a student at Trinity College Dublin, won the top prize, followed by two writers from India.
Irish writers scooped all three prizes in the senior category; Louise Burke from Thurles, Ciara Scanlon from Dungarvan and Katie Black from Tallaght.
Entrants were given a choice of three titles: “Living on less than $2 a day in the developing world”, “Imagining the future of a child born in the developing world” and “Important lessons we can learn from the developing world”.
More than 770 essays from 39 countries were entered.
“This year’s essays have really been of a remarkably high standard,” Tom Arnold, chief executive of Concern Worldwide, said at the announcement.
“But what has struck me most of all is the passion and interest the writers have shown,” he added.
The winning essays and extracts from other entrants will be published in book form.
The winning entries are at concern.net/writingcompetition