Wawa | Ireland Writing Retreat

Wild Atlantic Writing Awards (WAWA)

12th edition

'Power,' the theme for our new competition

‘You’re the man, but I got the, I got the, I got the power

You make rain, but I'll make it, I'll make it, I'll make it shower

You should know, I'm the one who's in control

I'll let you come take the wheel, 'long as you don't forget, yeah, yeah.’

Who got the power?

I got the, I got the power'

These verses are from a snappy hit song entitled simply ‘Power’ by a group called Little Mix. The song is essentially an anthem about reclaiming self-worth and control after a manipulative relationship, and as such can apply either to a man or a woman, though in this case, it focuses on women. The message is: ‘you only had influence because I gave it to you — and now I’m taking it back.’ In short, the song is about realising your own value after someone tries to make you feel small.

Of course, this is only one aspect of power, for power itself comes in many shapes and forms. Some for good, some for evil, some in-between.

Take as illustrations the following examples and make up your own mind about the good or the bad, sometimes both, inherent in them.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER COMPETITION

Pope Francis is the religious leader of about 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide. He is known as a peace-loving man who describes war as “a defeat for humanity” and has repeatedly condemned conflicts in places such as Ukraine, Gaza, Syria and Yemen and Sudan. But he is also head of a Church that does not approve of same-sex sexual relationships and is plagued by paedophilia scandals.

US President Donald Trump is supported by many for recently kidnapping Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, alleged to be a drug-smuggler. At the same time, he is criticised by others for breaking international law, a principle affirmed by the International Court of Justice and previously acknowledged by Washington.

Ted Lasso is the main character in a popular philosophical comedy series on TV of the same name. An American football coach, who is hired to manage a struggling English soccer team (AFC Richmond) even though he knows very little about soccer. He fails, insofar as his team is relegated from the Premiership division, but his optimism, emotional intelligence and loyalty - in a word, his power - leads his team to great achievements and mutual understanding.

A last example of power is probably the most bizarre, a precise video of the most powerful craft ever to move both above and below the Earth’s surface, described as a UFO, or in military terms, a UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon). US Navy operators, who later gave evidence at Congressional hearings, described the mysterious craft as shaped like a ‘tic tac,’ the white, oval-shaped mint candy, and said it moved faster than any known craft made by humans. The Pentagon confirmed the video was authentic and of “unidentified aerial phenomena” but gave no other information as to its origin or operation.

So valued reader, why don’t you now put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboards) and knock out a story on the theme of 'power' that will knock our socks off.

And please don’t turn to ChatGBT, or whatever other AI platform you use for everyday help. Enjoy the delightful dopamine aroused when you do it by yourself, without such outside help. It’s what keeps us alive and full of vitality, especially important as we grow older.

Winners in each category will receive 500 euro in cash, or 1,000 euro off any of our writing retreats in 2025 or 2026.

Deadline for submissions: Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER COMPETITION

Flash Fiction Award

We feel the theme of ‘Power’ with all its dimensions and connotations will appeal to you as it spans so many genres – sci-fi, crime, romance, horror, humour, thriller, mystery, whatever tickles you and your Muse’s fancy.

As you write your story, remember to keep in mind three important guidelines:

the maximum length of your story should be 500 words, not including the title (please be mindful of this requirement, even one word over the limit can disqualify your entry);
judges should be left in no doubt that the core theme in your story is linked to ‘Power;’
the word ‘power’ (or any derivation) cannot be used in stories or in the titles of stories submitted for the competition, but judges should be in no doubt that the theme of 'secrets' is reflected clearly in your stories;
multiple entries accepted.

Let your imagination be your guide.

PRIZE

The winner selected by a judging panel consisting of IWR tutors will receive 500 euro in cash or a voucher worth 1,000 euro redeemable towards any one of our retreats of your choice in 2026.

And more.

With the writer’s permission, the top ten stories in each category will be published on the ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ website, with a short bio and photograph of the writer.

Writers retain all copyrights to their work.

Creative Nonfiction Award

As for our creative nonfiction competition, we offer you a similar challenge: to write about a true story in not more than 500 words, with ‘power’ as a key element. Your story can be in the form of memoir, profile, literary journalism, personal essay, travel (and remember, award-winning travel articles don't have to be about exotic destinations, it could be about your own hometown), food or any creative nonfiction category you prefer.