Congratulations: National recognition for Longford woman with passion for storytelling
Daniela Rana was the second-place winner of the 2026 All Ireland Scholars Creative Writing Competition
A Longford woman has been lauded for her literary flair after being selected as the second-place winner of the 2026 All Ireland Scholars Creative Writing Competition recently.
Daniela Rana was commended for her work in the in the Prose Category for her written piece, An Stad Deireanach.
The competition, which is now in its sixth year, is open to recipients of the All Ireland Scholarship, from 2008 to present and it was sponsored by JP McManus.
This year's competition focused on the short form written word (max 600 words) with prose and poetry categories and entrants were asked to focus on short-form fiction, non-fiction, and op-ed.
Also read: Longford County Choir set to celebrate milestone 25th anniversary with anniversary concert
The judging panel included Paul Lynch (Booker Prize Winner 2023), Donal Ryan (Orwell Prize Winner 2025), and Dr Emily Cullen.
The judging process was chaired by Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, Head of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.
Daniela was awarded an All Ireland Scholarship in 2024 and is currently studying English Literature with Creative Writing in University College Dublin.
Her passion for storytelling and writing began when she was a child, and it was further nurtured through the encouragement of her teachers and mentors over the years.
Daniela's Italian heritage has played a significant role in shaping her literary interests, introducing her to the richness of classical literature.
Her competition piece, An Stad Deireanach, is an introspective piece inspired by her reflections of growing up and the fleeting nature of time.
The judges were impressed by her submission saying: “The piece is playful yet poignant, effortlessly compressing a lifetime into a single journey while reflecting on the parts of ourselves that we lose to time.”
JP McManus said: “I am delighted to be here today to honour the winners of this year’s All Ireland Scholars Creative Writing Competition."
With over 2,050 All Ireland Scholars across the island of Ireland, their written work is yet another reminder of the creativity, insight, and imagination they bring to the table.