Over two days, participants will rediscover Browne’s lyrical voice, embrace writing across forms, and connect with others who value storytelling, sensory language, and creative reimaginings of the past.

These creative writing workshops take the life and work of Frances Browne (1816–1879), the “Blind Poetess of Ulster,” as a starting point for new writing. Participants will read and reflect on selected poems and biographical details from Browne’s remarkable career, and then use them as inspiration for their own creative responses.

The emphasis is not on producing poetry alone, but on opening out into a wide range of forms: flash fiction, memoir, dialogue, reflective prose, or hybrid experiments. Browne’s themes—freedom, imagination, memory, nature, resilience—will act as prompts, but the direction each participant takes will be their own.

No prior knowledge of Browne’s work (or of poetry) is required; the workshops are designed to be accessible and generative. Together we’ll explore how a 19th-century voice can resonate with our contemporary experiences, and how literature of the past can spark new creative paths today.

To round off the weekend, participants will be invited to share their work in a relaxed, celebratory showcase on Saturday evening.

When & Where

• Dates & Times:

  • Workshop Part 1 : Friday 10 October 2025, 3.00pm to 5.30pm

  • Workshop Part 2: Saturday 11 October 2025, 11.00pm to 1.00pm

  • Optional: Present your work at the Frances Browne Lecture on Saturday 11 October at 7.30pm. Supported by two members of Ensemble 32 Music Group

• Venue: Parish Centre, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal

Note that the workshops are 'linked' and participants should attend both sessions.

Workshop Schedule

Friday 10 October | 3.00pm to 5.30pm | Parish Centre, Stranorlar

•  We’ll begin with a selection of accessible lyric poems by Frances Browne, using them as springboards for writing exercises that explore imagery, memory, and emotional resonance. The session is ideal for writers of all levels—from beginners to seasoned creators

Saturday 11 October | 11.00am to 1.00pm | Parish Centre, Stranorlar

• Build on Friday’s inspiration with deeper creative work:

  • Light flashes of fiction and dialogue rooted in Browne’s themes

  • Character prompts exploring loss, resilience, and transformation

  • Fragmented narrative, stream-of-consciousness, and poetic prose—echoing Browne’s interest in the imaginative and the folkloric 

About the Facilitator

Rhona Trench is a multidisciplinary artist—writer, director, and performer—working across writing, music, and performance. Her practice often draws on history and archival material: most recently Echoes in Stone: Kept Voices, which revisited 19th-century writers from her region through contemporary performance, funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. She conceived and directed From Their Eyes: New Writing from Leitrim about Women at The Dock, and created a commissioned performance, Knock Me Down, an immersive piece exploring the Spanish Flu and COVID-19. Rhona chairs the MA in Creative Practice and teaches on the Writing & Literature degree and BA in Performing Arts at the Atlantic University in Sligo. 

About the Frances Browne Literary Festival

The Frances Browne Literary Festival celebrates the life and legacy of Frances Browne (1816–1879), the “Blind Poetess of Ulster.” Rooted in her hometown of Ballybofey-Stranorlar, Co. Donegal, the festival brings together poets, writers, musicians, and communities from Ireland and beyond to share in her spirit of creativity, inclusion, and multilingual expression.

📖 Explore the full programme and festival information at: www.francesbrowneliteraryfestival.com