Irish Theatre Institute (ITI), in association with the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, is delighted to announce the finalists and the recipient for the 10th Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary and Residency.
FINALISTS FOR THE 10TH PHELIM DONLON PLAYWRIGHT’S BURSARY AND RESIDENCY
Following a highly competitive selection process, the finalists for this year’s award were Peter Dunne, Liam McCarthy, and Jody O’Neill. Each submitted work of exceptional quality, demonstrating originality, craft, and a compelling vision for future development. ITI warmly congratulates all three on reaching the final stage.
RECIPIENT FOR THE 10TH PHELIM DONLON PLAYWRIGHT’S BURSARY AND RESIDENCY
We are pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2025 Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary and Residency is Jody O’Neill.
On making the announcement Niamh O’Donnell, Director of Irish Theatre Institute, said:
“We are delighted to announce Jody O’Neill as the recipient of the 2025 Phelim Donlon Bursary and Residency. Jody’s work reaches deep into the heart of what theatre can be — a space of connection, transformation, and radical empathy. Her writing challenges assumptions, reshapes narratives around disability and neurodiversity, and makes space for audiences to feel, to question, and to understand. Her commitment to creating emotionally resonant, socially impactful theatre is both timely and profound, and we are excited to support the next stage of her artistic journey. We also extend our warm congratulations to shortlisted artists Peter Dunne and Liam McCarthy.
Peter brings a rare sensitivity and intelligence to the horror genre, using it as a powerful lens through which to explore trauma, belonging and catharsis — all while inviting audiences into a shared, fireside sense of community. Liam’s work, lyrical and searching, examines love, masculinity, and the emotional undercurrents of modern life with both urgency and grace. Both are fearless, distinctive voices, and we are proud to recognise their contributions to Irish theatre.”
ABOUT THE AWARD
This award is named in honour of Phelim Donlon, former Drama Officer at the Arts Council and a valued member of ITI’s first PLAYOGRAPHYIreland Advisory Panel, in recognition of his lasting contribution to Irish theatre.
The award provides a professional playwright with the vital time, resources, and mentorship needed to develop a new play.
Jody O’Neill will receive an ITI Writers’ Bursary of €2,000 and a two-week fully resourced residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig. Each of the finalists, Peter Dunne and Liam McCarthy, will receive €500 in recognition of their work.
SELECTION PANEL
ITI extends its thanks to this year’s selection panel: playwrights Michael Patrick, Erica Murray, and Shannon Lee, who carefully reviewed all applications and selected this year’s recipient and finalists. All open calls with Irish Theatre Institute are assessed by a peer panel of artists, selected through a careful and specific process from ITI’s artist community.
BIOGRAPHIES
Jody O’Neill, Winner of the 2025 Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary and Residency Award
Jody is an award-winning autistic theatre maker. She was Theatre Artist in Residence at UCC and Cork Opera House 2022-24. Recent productions include Grace with Graffiti Theatre Company and Once Off Productions and Home Sweet Home with Suisha Arts and Cork Midsummer Festival. She also writes for screen – animation and live action.
Peter Dunne, Finalist
Peter Dunne is a writer, playwright, producer, and creator of audio dramas and unusual experiences.
His plays, including Broadening, Dummy, Inhabitance, Before Colour and Horrors in the Black Church, have been staged at the Peacock Theatre, Project Arts Centre, Bewleys Café Theatre, Dublin Castle and Smock Alley Theatre amongst others. His audio work, including Petrified, The Living Library and Spooky FM, have garnered a New York Radio Drama Award and Irish Podcast Awards alongside multiple nominations worldwide.
For the Bram Stoker Festival, he wrote the audio horror Bram, and the Instagram ghost story Instaterror. His first play for younger audiences, The Haunting of Gusty Nook, premiered in 2024. He is the founder of the new writing live event, The Ghost Story Gathering.
Liam McCarthy, Finalist
Liam’s plays include Jilly Morgan’s Birthday Party and Fergal, a play for children. His play Mam and Love and Woo received the Dublin Fringe Wilde Irish Writer Award. He is a Meitheal Artist with Branar and was the recipient of the Arts Council Next Generation Award. Liam has participated in Druid Theatre’s FUEL programme, Corcadorca’s SHOW festival, Axis Assemble, and Words Words Words at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Liam also curates the Bualadh Bos Children’s Festival, Limerick and he is currently a Six in the Attic artist with the Irish Theatre Institute. He has previously been writer in residence at Belltable and also at the Centre Cultural Irlandais, Paris.
PREVIOUS AWARDEES
Previous playwrights awarded this bursary and residency include Oisin Kearney and Michael Patrick (2024), Caitríona Daly (2023), John O’Donovan (2022), Stephen Jones (2021), Sonya Kelly (2020), Karen Cogan (2019), Amy Conroy (2018), Carys D. Coburn (2017), and Fiona Doyle (2016). Learn more about the Phelim Donlon Playwright’s Bursary and Residency Award, and past recipients.
ABOUT PHELIM DONLON (1936 – 2014)
Phelim began work at the Arts Council in 1983, and served as Film, Drama and Opera Officer, retiring in 2001. He was also Director of the Auditoria review of the built infrastructure for the performing arts throughout Ireland. In retirement, his commitment remained undiminished, and he served on the boards of many performing arts organisations. Learn more about Phelim and his impact here.
