Bernie McGill

'The Day of the Papering', a new short story by Bernie McGill on BBC Radio 4
2026-06-26 - 2027-06-26 | BBC Radio 4 Short Works, United Kingdom
Set in an abandoned military base at Fort Dunree in Co. Donegal, the story follows artist-in-residence Kayla, on the final day of her residency, as she installs her work in one of the abandoned buildings on the site. She’s being reluctantly helped by caretaker Dermot who has little time for Kayla’s work. The story touches on ‘the mica crisis’ that affected thousands of homes in Donegal from 2011 on.
Read by Amy Molloy and produced for BBC Radio 4’s Short Works by Michael Shannon, you can listen to the story here on Thursday 26th June 2026 and thereafter on BBC Sounds.
Bernie McGill is the 2023 winner of the prestigious Edge Hill Short Story Prize for her collection This Train is For. She is the author of two novels: The Watch House (nominated for the Ireland European Union Prize for Literature in 2019) and The Butterfly Cabinet (2010). Her short stories have been widely anthologised, and her work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4. Bernie was co-judge of the Edge Hill Prize in 2024 and of the Michael McLaverty Short Story Award in 2023. She is a Fellow with the Royal Literary Fund, a Mentor with the Irish Writers’ Centre and an Honorary Member of the Linen Hall Library, where her writing archive is held. Her first short story collection, Sleepwalkers (2013), was re-published in 2025 by No Alibis Press.

Novel Writing with Bernie McGill at the John Hewitt International Summer School
2026-07-27 14:45 - 2026-07-30 16:45 (Europe/Dublin) | Market Place Theatre, Armagh, Market Street, Armagh, Armagh, BT61 7BW, United Kingdom
Monday 27th, Tuesday 28th & Thursday 30th July 2026 | 2.45pm – 4.45pm | £80 for three-day workshop course
Spaces are limited – advance booking is essential.
These practical and participative workshops will focus on: structuring a novel; writing openings with impact; creating credible characters; building convincing settings and selecting point of view. We will also explore opportunities for further development and submission of work. Suitable for writers who are beginning or developing a novel. Works-in-progress are welcomed.
Bernie McGill is the author of two novels, The Butterfly Cabinet and The Watch House and two short story collections. She is the 2023 winner of the Edge Hill Short Story Prize for her collection This Train is For. Her first short story collection Sleepwalkers was republished by No Alibis Press in 2025. Her novels have been published in the UK, the US and in translation in Italy and the Netherlands.

Workshop course is delivered over three days.
Each workshop lasts two hours and all workshops are delivered at the same time.
Participants should attend all three sessions.
Tutors are experienced creative writing facilitators and published authors.
All levels are welcome.

Book via The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre Armagh.
The full programme of events for the John Hewitt International Summer School (taking place 27th – 31st July 2026) is available on the John Hewitt Society’s website.
Bursary applications are open until Friday 22nd May at 5pm.
A full sponsored bursary award includes:
– B&B for five nights in a single room, within walking distance of The Market Place Theatre.
– Free tickets to all programmed events each day, unless otherwise specified.
– A free creative writing workshop of your choice, which includes 6 hours of tuition over 3 days.
– An invitation to all festival receptions.
– Morning break refreshments Tuesday – Friday.
For eligibility and application form go to the John Hewitt Society.
