Writing Background
Eileen Keane is a Roscommon born writer and artist now living in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Previously a teacher of Art and English, she began to write in 2003. In that year she began to job share in order to have more time for printmaking and instead found herself writing a novel. She had previously started a novel at the age of seven but was overcome by writers block after the first page and though she always dreamed of writing stories she never knew how to begin the business of being a writer.
When she put the first words on the page in 2003 ideas came streaming out and she has been writing ever since. She enjoys reading her work at open mics and festivals and in 2008 began to write short humorous pieces for music and writing sessions in her local pub.
Her first short story won the Cecil Day Lewis short fiction prize in 2004 and since then she has been long and shortlisted in many other competitions. She was shortlisted for a Hennessy award in 2014 for her short story ‘A Perfect Prayer’, and she was thrilled to win first prize in the inaugural James Plunkett short story award in October 2013 for her story ‘The Peace of Evening ’.
In June 2013 she was selected by Kildare County Council Arts office for The Cecil Day Lewis Emerging writer award. She has previously won the humorous essay prize in Listowel, has been selected for the ‘Lonely Voice’ readings in the Irish Writers centre, and her story ‘Woman Walking on Nassau Street’ has been professionally recorded as part of ‘Stories for the Ear’ Volume 1.
Her work has also been published in a Poolbeg press anthology ‘Do the Write thing’, Listowel Writer’s week Winners anthology, Census 1, 2, and 3, Crannóg Literary magazine and the Irish Independent. She has written two novels, one in her Literary voice and one in her humorous voice. She is also completing a short story collection and she hopes to find a publisher for all of these very soon.
Click here for a list of publications, competitions and awards.