Mayday 2024 with UL

I was thrilled to get a place on CASHEW, Community Approach to Supporting, Helping and Enhancing Writing across genres, an innovative project led by Dr. Christina Morin and Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, both from the University of Limerick.

The idea was akin to the NaNoWriMo movement in the US that I’ve done a few times. Basically, you sign up on November 1st and commit to writing a set word count every single day during the month of November.

Cashew chose May to run a month-long writing development experience for academic and creative writers. We met every week day at 7 pm and enjoyed a mix of intensive online writing sessions and masterclasses from writing experts such as Kit de Waal, Rowena Murray, Cat Hogan and UL’s finest in terms of Donal Ryan, Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, Dr. Christina Morin, and Professor Eoin Devereux. 

The month opened with an in-person meet-up in the gorgeous Narrative4 offices in Limerick city followed by a slap-up meal in the George Hotel. At the end of the month, we had our creative showcase where we each had about 3-4 minutes to read something we’d written over the month. I read an abridged version of ’90 Nautical Miles’, an essay I wrote for my collection.

Apart from all the fabulous learnings, the bonus was the friendships and camaraderie among fellow writers. We’ve a plan to keep up with weekly Zooms and a very lively WhatsApp chat to share opportunities, wins and of course the dreaded rejections, which always feel lighter when shared with one’s tribe. Thank you UL