Laois Pride has announced the 2026 Joe Drennan Memorial Writing Competition, inviting members of the local LGBTQ+ community to share their creativity.
The annual competition, run in partnership with the Laois Nationalist, is held in memory of queer journalist and GCN contributor Joe Drennan and aims to provide a platform for emerging writers within the county.
This year’s theme is ‘Finding Community’, encouraging entrants to explore what community means to them and the different ways people find connection, belonging and support.
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The competition is open to members of the LGBTQ+ community who are originally from County Laois or who currently live in the county. There are two categories available: Short Story or Essay, with a maximum length of 1,000 words, and Poetry, with entries limited to 14 lines. Entrants are one per person.
Entries will be accepted throughout August, with judging taking place during September. An independent judging panel will assess the submissions, which will be judged anonymously to ensure fairness.
Entrants are asked not to include their names or contact details within their submissions. Instead, those details should be provided on a separate sheet so that the judging panel can assess each entry without knowing the identity of the writer.
The overall winner will be announced during the Laois Pride Family Fun Day, which will take place at An Dún, on the grounds of the Laois School of Music, following the Laois Pride Parade on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Entries can be submitted online through the submission form available via the Laois Pride Linktree. Entries can also be submitted by post to:
Laois Pride c/o Youth Work Ireland Laois
James Fintan Lawlor Building
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Postal entries should include the entrant’s name, postal address, email address and telephone number on a separate sheet.
Laois Pride 2026 will run from September 7 to 13, with a programme of events taking place across the county. The writing competition forms part of Laois Pride’s wider celebration of LGBTQ+ identity, community and visibility, while also honouring Joe Drennan’s memory and his passion for telling stories and amplifying marginalised voices.
© 2026 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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