Celebrating Young Talent

Secondary Schools Creative Writing Competition 2019 / 2020

Competition Theme & Categories
The GAA Museum is inviting secondary school students to show off their writing prowess with an essay, short story or poem using the theme ‘’A GAA Legend”. Entries will be judged by a panel of talent-spotting experts, including writer Paul Howard.

There are two categories in this competition:

• Junior Cert (open to 1^st year, 2^nd year and 3^rd year students)
• Leaving Cert (open to 5^th and 6^th year students, as well as Transition Year students)

Entries in both categories will be accepted in both the Irish and English languages. There will be a prize for both the best English and Irish entry.

Competition Prizes:

Junior Cert Category

• One overall prize-winner in English language and one overall prize-winner in Irish language. Prize pack will include:
  • Invitation for student and teacher to winner's lunch with the judging panel in Croke Park where the winning student will be presented with certificate for their achievement.
  • The chance to spend a day working with the GAA Communications team in Croke Park.
  • €100 One for All Voucher
  • Custom GAA Museum O’Neill’s jersey
  • GAA Museum prize pack including Family Pass for Ericsson Skyline Tour
  • Winning entry displayed on Croke Park website (www.crokepark.ie/gaamuseum)

 

• Two runners up prizes. Runners up will be in either English or Irish language. Runners up prizes include:
  • Invitation for student and teacher to winner's lunch with the judging panel in Croke Park where the winning student will be presented with certificate for their achievement.
  • GAA Museum prize pack including Family Pass for Ericsson Skyline Tour
  • Winning entry displayed on GAA Museum website (www.crokepark.ie/gaamuseum)

Leaving Cert Category

• One overall prize-winner in English language and one overall prize in the Irish language. Prize pack will include:
  • Invitation for student and teacher to winner’s lunch with the judging panel in Croke Park where the winning students will be presented with certificate for their achievement.
  • The chance to spend a day working with the GAA Communications team in Croke Park
  • €100 One for All Voucher
  • Custom GAA Museum O’Neill’s jersey
  • GAA Museum prize pack including Family Pass for Ericsson Skyline Tour
  • Winning entry displayed on GAA Museum website (www.crokepark.ie/gaamuseum) 

 

• Two runners up prizes. Runners up will be in either English or Irish language
   
  • Invitation for student and teacher to winner’s lunch with the judging panel in Croke Park where the students will be presented with certificate for their achievement.
  • GAA Museum prize pack including Family Pass for Ericsson Skyline Tour
  • Winning entry displayed on GAA Museum website (www.crokepark.ie/gaamuseum)  

Competition Entry

• All entries must be emailed to Julianne in the GAA Museum at the address [email protected] with the email subject line Essay Competition Entry
• Entries must be submitted as a Word Document attached to the email.
• The top of the Word document should include the following information:
  • Student name, age and school year
  • Name and address of student’s school
  • Name and contact details of supervising teacher
  • Title of entry
• Entries must be submitted before 5pm on Friday January 17^th, 2020.  

Competition Rules

• All entries should specifically address the competition theme ‘A GAA Legend’
• Entries can be in the following forms: Essay, short story, poem
• Maximum word count for entries is 1500
• Students must only submit their own original work
• Students must submit their entries before the deadline of 5pm, January 17^th, 2020
• One student can submit up to a maximum of three entries
• Entries must not contain any profane or derogatory language
• The decision of the judges is final