Adam Mann is a graduate of Film and Media production, holding a first-class B.A. He
has over five years’ experience working in the Film and Television industry in
Vancouver, Canada. This experience is spread across multiple, high budget television
shows, his own award-winning independent cultural projects, and giant Video Game
companies such as Electronic Arts. Currently an IFTA, SDGI member in the Director
branch.
Category: – Writers
Skye Mann
Skye is an established screenwriter, director, editor and producer. An active member as a director in the Irish Film and Television Academy, Screen Directors Guild Ireland, Writers Guild and Directors Guild Canada. Graduate of the University of Wolverhampton with first-class honors in Film Production. Over five years of production experience in Film and Television, working for companies such as Disney, Netflix, Warner Brothers, and Marvel Inc. An experienced filmmaker who can bring a project in on time, on budget and to an excellent creative standard. Lead Film Studies Instructor at the Canadian Film and Television Institute. My debut feature film “A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree”- premiered at Fantastic Fest, Achill Island Film Fest, TIFC, Blastoff L.A, and has been longlisted for the IFTA Awards 2024.
Philip Doherty
Philip is a highly accomplished writer, director, and producer in both television and theatre. He was the series director and co-executive producer of CRÁ, a crime-drama series for BBC NI & TG4, which earned him an IFTA nomination for Best Drama. His debut feature film, Redemption of a Rogue, won two awards at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2020, including Best Irish Film and Best Irish First Feature, and garnered additional international recognition, streaming on Netflix and earning three IFTA nominations, including Best Screenplay.
In theatre, Philip is a multi-award-winning playwright with over 60 plays in both English and Irish. He was the artistic director of Fíbín sa Taibhdhearc, the National Irish Language Theatre, and has had three plays premiere at the Galway International Arts Festival. His recent works include the Irish-language play An Fear Liath / The Grey Man (2025), Muc Rí (2022), and Cogadh na Saoirse (2021). Philip’s play Fiach, a drive-in theatre drama during COVID-19, was awarded a BBC NI Stewart Parker Award.
In 2009, he founded The Gonzo Theatre in Cavan, where he premiered several plays, including Pilgrim, which toured the UK and Ireland. Philip has received multiple awards, including the RTE PJ O’Connor Radio Drama Award twice, and his play The Experience Room won a Scripts Ireland Award in 2017. He was also a co-founder of Townhall Cavan Arts Space. Philip was selected for the BBC Dramaroom and named on the BBC Talent Hot List in 2017.
Cal McGhee
Award-winning Irish LGBT screenwriter and development executive with a passion for genre-skewed works. Cal’s work ranges from dark drama and psychological thriller to elevated horror, grounded sci-fi, comedy and even children’s stories – always passionate about writing bold, fun, offbeat content that pushes boundaries and reflects salient contemporary issues. Cal has been a development executive at Tailored Films in Dublin for 5 years and currently manages a lean slate including feature films and scripted TV series. His first series in funded development, YESTERDAY’S GIRL, is with TG4 and Creative Europe.
Jimmy Smallhorne
Jimmy Smallhorne is a writer, director and actor, particularly renowned for THE MIRACLE CLUB, 2BY4, LOVE/HATE, TAKEN DOWN, CARDBOARD GANGSTERS, DARKLANDS, and DEAD STILL. In addition to this he was the co-founder of the legendary Bronx Irish Theatre Company.
Eve Connolly
Eve is a writer and actor from Kildare. She has worked in film and television since graduating from the Gaiety School of Acting in 2016. Her writing focuses on the relationships between women. She writes character-driven scripts that strive to capture the complexities of our most intimate relationships. She recently graduated from Atlantic Technological University with a first-class Honours Degree in Writing & Literature and is currently developing a number of projects for both film and television. ONE DAY YOU’LL THANK ME is in development with Port Pictures (EP Martina Niland).
Andrew Lynch
A writer passionate about creating stories that centre on marginalised and underrepresented groups – stories that not only entertain but also spark debate and conversation. Andrew began his career in theatre, with his first play DEATH ROW COWBOY transferring from Dublin to London. Moving to film, Andrew co-produced and wrote the multi award-winning short film BRENDA, and created the minidocumentary REBIRTH, both of which aired on RTÉ. Supported by Screen Ireland on the Spotlight Development Scheme, he developed his feature film FISHSCALE and recently completed the BBC Writersroom Voices programme where he developed the TV series ROUTE ’94. Andrew is currently working with Yellow Film & TV, who have optioned his original TV series.
Roisin Agnew
Roisin Agnew is an Italian Irish filmmaker and researcher based in London.
She has recently worked as a games writer for PlayStation developing a new IP as part of its first writers’ room. She directed THE BAN (2024) that premiered at Docs Ireland in June and wrote YARA (2023) in competition at the Galway Film Festival in July. She is currently in development with her first feature with Screen Ireland and Tailored Films (The Apprentice, Bring Them Down).
She is a Visiting Lecturer at The London Film School and a PhD student at the Centre for Research Architecture, Goldsmith. She has worked as an assistant producer on Grierson Award-nominated film THE PLAN THAT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM UP (2020). She has worked for Irish and Italian TV (RAI, TV3, RTE) as an assistant producer and prior to that she worked as a breaking news subeditor at The Irish Times.
Roisin’s fiction has appeared in The Dublin Review and MAP Journal. She’s been published by The Guardian, The Irish Times, Vice, Elephant Magazine etc. She curates Storming Heaven, a London screening series assembled around activist film.
She’s won the Next Generation Artist Award in Literature (2021) from Arts Council Ireland and is a graduate of the Edinburgh Talent Lab (2022) and won JETS Berlinale (2021).
Sam Atwell
Sam has produced the six-part drama NORTHERN LIGHTS for Lionsgate and Deadpan and was then Head of Development for Deadpan. Prior to this he was the Drama Development Executive for RTÉ where he worked on HIDDEN ASSETS, SMOTHER and NORTH SEA CONNECTION as well as their development and production slate. He Executive Produced the three storyland titles, MUSTARD, EVERY FIVE MILES and BALOR HALL and the short films, PICTURE DAY, FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE and THE WALL. Has been the inhouse story-editor for animation company, JAM Media and Script Producer for RTÉ’s, FAIR CITY where he directed multiple blocks. He has written, directed and script edited for ATN Seven’s HOME AND AWAY in Sydney and currently has multiple shows in development.
Tom Sullivan
Tom Sullivan is an award-winning writer and director who was born in Dublin and studied Earth Science at University College Galway. After graduating in 1995, he began acting and has worked consistently in film and television since then. In 2010, Tom began writing and directing short films. His first short, ASAL(2011), premiered at the 2011 Galway Film Festival where it won the Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama. Tom has consistently created award-winning content since then, including his debut feature film ARRACHT (2019) which was nominated for 11 IFTAs (and won two), won The Critics Circle Award Virgin Dublin Film Festival, Audience award at Glasgow Int. Film Festival, Best Film at Kimolos Int. Film Festival and was chosen to represent Ireland in the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy awards 2021.
Michael Kinirons
Award-winning Irish screenwriter and director. He studied English and Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin and went on to study directing at the prestigious National Film and Television School, (NFTS) London. He has had projects selected for the Torino Film Lab, the Britlist, eQuinoxe, EAVE and is a Berlinale Talent Campus alumni. Michael’s first produced feature as screenwriter, STRANGERLAND, an Australian set mystery drama starring Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving and Joe Fiennes, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, 2015. THE SPARROW, Michael’s feature film debut as writer/director, premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh 2022 where it won Best First Irish Feature. Subsequently, it won the meeting point audience award at Valladolid Film Festival and has been nominated for two Irish Film and Television Awards.
Caroline Grace-Cassidy
Caroline is The Irish Times bestselling author of nine novels and has been translated into various languages. She is also a Screenwriter and Creative Director of Document Films. As a Screenwriter she has written and directed seven successful short films that have played at festivals all over the world, including a Galway Film Fleadh winning short and she was also the recipient of the Cineuropa award.
Caroline has co-written her first feature film, BRIDE SQUAD, optioned by Vico Films, IRL and Myriad Pictures, US. Her second feature THE QUIET WOMAN is being developed with support from Screen Ireland. Caroline is currently writing her first TV drama, MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME – again with development funding from Screen Ireland. She adapted her novel, THE WEEK I RUINED MY LIFE, for TV supported by the BAI & Canadian Media Fund. Caroline has also written for Irelands longest running soap, FAIR CITY. She is also a regular panelist on Ireland’s popular all female talk show ‘Midday’.
Paul Burke
Paul has written some of the UK’s favourite and best known TV and radio commercials. He has won various awards for his writing including: D&AD, Creative Circle and the Aerials. He was also presented with a Radio Academy Fellowship at the House of Lords. In 2001, his first novel FATHER FRANK was published to great critical acclaim. He followed this with three more – UNTORN TICKETS in 2003, THE MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS WIFE in 2005 and THE LIFE OF REILLY in 2007. More recently, he has turned to screenwriting. He is currently adapting UNTORN TICKETS into a screenplay and has THE HUTS, a TV comedy drama, in development with the BBC. He has also adapted FATHER FRANK for the screen with Mallinson Television Productions.
Conor McMahon
2022: NO WORRIES IF NOT – TV sketch series for RTE Television; 2021: LET THE WRONG ONE IN – Comedy Horror – Feature Film written and directed by Conor McMahon and starring Anthony Head funded by Screen Ireland; Winner of Jury Prize at Screamfest. 2021: Nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards 2023. 2014: FROM THE DARK – Horror Feature Film written by Damian Fox and Conor McMahon, directed by Conor McMahon and Starring Niamh Algar; premiered at Fantastic Fest 2014. 2012: STITCHES – Comedy Horror – Feature Film written by David O’Brien and Conor McMahon, directed by Conor McMahon and starring Ross Noble; Winner of the Carmel Jove Jury Award at Sitges 2012. 2009: THE DISTURBED – Horror Feature Film written and directed by Conor McMahon and starring Carla McGlynn; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2009. 2004: DEAD MEAT – Comedy Horror Feature Film written and directed by Conor McMahon and starring Marian Araujo.
Ben Conway
2022: ONE WAY – Feature Film directed by Andrew Baird and starring Kevin Bacon and Travis Fimmel. International Sales by Highland Film Group. 2021: NIGHTRIDE – Feature Film directed by Stephen Fingleton and starring Moe Dunford. Winner of Best Actor Award (Moe Dunford) at Irish Film and Television Awards 2022); 2022: SIMON – Short Film written and directed by Ben Conway and Peter J McCarthy and starring Moe Dunford; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2022; 2021: BUGALOO – Short Film written and directed by Ben Conway and Peter J MCarthy and starring Moe Dunford; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2021.
Mary Kate O Flanagan
Award-winning writer, journalist and story consultant working in the film and television industry. She has designed and delivered training in Storytelling On The Screen across the world and works as a credited co-writer and an uncredited script doctor. Several of Mary Kate’s projects have been award Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland development funding, including SPARTACUS RISING, a television series co-written with Gavin Ryan; HEART OF DARKNESS, an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s novella; and the original feature screenplays for MY HUCKLEBERRY FRIEND, AIRLIFT TO BIAFRA (an adaptation of the true life story of Father Tony Byrne) and KICKING THE HABIT. Mary Kate was Ireland’s First Grand Slam Champion Storyteller at The Moth. She was also a Grand Slam Champion Storyteller at The Moth in Los Angeles and a Champion Storyteller at The Dublin StorySlam. You can hear one of her stories on The Moth Radio Hour – https://themoth.org/stories/carry-him-shoulder-high – and on Tik Tok, where it has amassed over one million views – https://www.tiktok.com/@mothstories/video/7245791769315609899.
Mary Kate has turned her true-life stories into a piece of theatre, MAKING A SHOW OF MYSELF, which received standing ovations and rave reviews in its first sellout run during November/December 2023 and ever since – find out more here www.makingashowofmyself.com.
Sinead O’Loughlin
2022: LAMB – Screen Ireland Focus Short; Winner of the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Cork International Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at Tribeca Film Festival 2022; Nominated for 2023 IFTA Award for Best Short Film; 2016: HOMECOMING – Winner of Best Narrative Short Film at Kerry International Film Festival 2016. 2023: VOCATION – Feature Film Screenplay in development with Screen Ireland and Coper Alley Productions.
Maureen O’Connell
A graduate of RADA, with a BA in Acting and a Film Production Diploma from Ballyfermot College, Maureen (Mo) O’Connell has made several award-winning shorts and an award-winning, micro-budget, slacker comedy feature film, SPA WEEKEND. Some credits include – 2022: HAVEN (multi-award-winning) – Semi-Finalist Flickers Rhode Island Intl Film Fest 2023 and Best Short Film B3 Biennale 2023; 2022: BRUISE (multi-award-winning) – Official Selection Galway Film Fleadh 2022 and Best Arthouse Fastnet Film Festival 2023; HUM (multi-award-winning) – Winner of the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Emerging Lens Film Festival 2021; 2019: SPA WEEKEND (multi-award-winning feature) – Winner of Best International Feature at Polish International Film Festival 2020 and Winner of SHE IS ON FIRE Award Berlin Female Filmmakers Film Fest 2019.
Paul Walker
Paul is an award winning stage and screenwriter whose work includes the award-winning STARDUST, RED ROCK and CALL THE MIDWIFE along with writing for international series such as THE PROFESSIONALS with Brendan Fraser. He has worked in a variety of writers’ rooms, and was the showrunner on RED ROCK. He has worked as a consultant on a variety of series including the upcoming LIBERTIES and works regularly as a mentor for new writers. His recent podcast series for BBS, OBSCENE: A DUBLIN SCANDAL recently won gold at the prestigious New York Festival awards.
In June 2024, Paul and Alan de Pellette won the International Pitching Forum development prize for docudrama FLOWER OF SCOTLAND that looks into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of prominent lawyer, Scottish Nationalist and Anti-Nuclear Campaigner WIllie McRae 40 years after his passing.
Mark O’Connor
Mark O’ Connor is an Irish writer/director. 2009/10: His debut feature film BETWEEN THE CANALS was released theatrically throughout Ireland and the UK; 2011/13: feature film KING OF THE TRAVELLERS was released in 150 territories worldwide on VOD; 2013: STALKER feature film featuring the first lead role of acclaimed actor Barry Keoghan; 2016: IFTA award-winning CARDBOARD GANGSTERS, which won 8 awards on the international festival circuit before worldwide rights to the film were sold to Netflix; 2023: Mark wrote and directed the six-part IFTA-nominated crime drama DARKLANDS for Virgin Media. 2020 to now CELTS Creator/Writer/Director TV show currently in development with support from EU, Creative Media and Screen Ireland and produced by Samson Films; 2022 to 2023: OUI CANNES Writer/Director – currently filming; 2023: THE DUBLINERS Creator/Writer/Director – Five-part television show in early-stage development.
Denise Deegan
Denise Deegan is an Irish novelist and PAGE Award-winning screenwriter who tackles issues of loss and injustice through a prism of light and humour. Winner of The Pitch Film Fund, Denise’s comedy short about homelessness, THE INNKEEPER, is on the festival circuit. A writer on Ireland’s longest running serial drama, Denise has two TV series and three features in development. Ireland’s film body, Screen Ireland, has supported three of her projects with development funding. Denise’s new psychological thriller, THOUGHT I KNEW YOU, is an Academy Nicholl Fellowship Quarterfinalist and Final Draft Big Break Semi-finalist. A former nurse, medical and psychological storylines regularly bubble up in her work.
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Dave Tynan
Dave is an award-winning director/writer who has directed over a dozen short films and one feature film, DUBLIN OLDSCHOOL. His feature premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2018 and enjoyed nationwide cinema distribution. Notable shorts include JUST SAYING, ROCKMOUNT, THE CHERISHING, WE FACE THIS LAND, HEARTBREAK and A CONCRETE SONG. Many of these have received critical acclaim – including two IFTAs and two selections for The Nuits En Or tour, The Best Worldwide Short Films as chosen by L’Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma – as well as viral success, with total views in the millions.
Fiona Tuohy
Following a successful career as a finance professional in the TV and Film Industry, Fiona is now a scriptwriter of original stories that capitalize on Irish humour with international appeal.
In May 2023, Fiona successfully completed a shadow script for the new TV version of the Gerard Butler “Has Fallen” franchise, PARIS HAS FALLEN which started PP in June 2023. She has been invited to write on Season 2.
Yellow Film have optioned a TV pilot Fiona co-wrote, with a writer’s room planned for later in 2023.
Fiona’s feature THE MOUNT, was selected for Screen Ireland Spotlight emerging talent scheme, which was optioned by 925 Productions and has recently secured further funding.
Stephen Jones
In Development: NORTHERN LIGHTS Series 2 (TV Adaptation) – Deadpan Productions for RTÉ; ADAPTING (radio play) – RTÉ Drama on One; SUMMERHILL (play); THE COUPLE OF PEACE (play); THE BILLY GOATS OF GLENVIEW PARK (YA Novel).
Credits: NORTHERN LIGHTS (play)- Theatre Upstairs, Dublin; NORTHERN LIGHTS (radio adaptation)- RTÉ Drama on One; FROM EDEN (play) – Theatre Upstairs, Dublin & National Tour, Ireland; FROM EDEN (radio adaptation) – RTÉ Drama on One. A CERTAIN ROMANCE (play)- Druid Theatre; THE GOO (5 part- web series) – Youtube.
Louise Geraghty
A trained improviser with a Film Degree from IADT, Louise is an award-winning screenwriter whose unique voice spans the genres of Comedy, Comedy-Drama and Action/Suspense Thrillers.
Past TV credits include the Irish-Australian FOREIGN EXCHANGE and the BAFTA Winning CUSTER’S LAST STAND UP.
Of her feature scripts SHELL GAME was a finalist in the 2019 Breaking Walls Thriller Screenplay Contest; BUT THEN THERE WERE TWO was an Official Selection of the 2021 Thriller/Suspense Film & Writing Festival; and A CHRISTMAS WEDDING won the 2020 WriteMovies Romance & Comedy Award.
Louise’s supernatural Comedy-Drama TV series THE DAUGHTERHOOD is in development with a production company in Ireland.
Gavin Burke
Gavin is a Dublin-based screenwriter and lecturer. He has a degree in Film & Television from ATU Galway and a MA in Screenwriting from The National Film School (IADT). Gavin’s last four screenplays have received development funding from Screen Ireland and all are in development with Irish production companies. Among them is PATASHNIK, a sci-fi directed by Bruno Samper and Kristina Buoztye (Vesper) and produced by Samson Films, THIS YEAR’S MODEL and THIS IS GOING TO SOUND WEIRD (both developed by Tiger Darling). In October 2023 Gavin will attend the eQuinoxe Screenwriter’s Workshop. Gavin has been shortlisted for the Untitled Screenwriting Award.
Gavin also lectures modules on Irish Film and the History of Screenwriting at IADT and has lectured at other institutions (ATU Sligo, University of Plymouth). He has been a script reader and script editor for Screen Ireland since 2016. He has also provided coverage on a regular basis for various Irish production companies like Port Pictures, Samson Films, Janey Pictures and more. Currently, Gavin is a script editor for Igloo Animations and is providing maternity cover for Wild Atlantic Pictures in a development executive capacity.
A former film critic, he contributed reviews to RTE, Entertainment.ie, Film Ireland, The Irish Examiner and The Irish Independent from 2005-2018. He was a producer and presenter of film show Cinerama on Phantom 105.2, and has chaired discussions on film at the Irish Film Institute, Digital Biscuit and Dublin International Film Festival.