We’re excited to announce our next in-person Members’ Event entitled STAGE TO SCREEN, which will take place from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm on Tuesday, August 25th at Bow Street Academy in Rathmines.

The event will include an impressive panel of multi-disciplinary writers discussing writing for stage and screen, hosted with the support of Coimisiún na Meán. Joining us for this panel will be Emmet Kirwan (Dublin Oldschool), Sonya Kelly (The Wheelchair on My Face), Esosa Ighodaro (Let Me In) and Christian O’Reilly (Sanctuary). The event will be moderated by the WGI Executive Director, Ciarán Hayden. 

Emmet Kirwan is an actor and playwright from Tallaght in Dublin. He most recently appeared on stage as Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol at The Gate. He also recently starred in RIOT for THISISPOPBABY at Vicar Street and in The Leap for Fishamble Theatre Company. His play Dublin Oldschool toured internationally and transferred to The National Theatre. He also wrote and starred in the film version of the same name for Warrior & Element Pictures. His most recent work as an actor-playwright is the comedy Straight To Video for Landmark Productions and Accents. It played at the Ambassador Theatre before touring nationwide. 

Sonya Kelly is a playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include The Wheelchair on My Face (Scotsman Fringe First Award 2012, New York Times Critic’s Pick) and How to Keep an Alien (Best Production, Dublin Fringe). Sonya’s work for the Druid Theatre Company includes Furniture (Stewart Parker Award, ZEBBIE Award), Once Upon A Bridge (Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Best New Play nominee) and The Last Return (Scotsman Fringe First Award 2022). Her TV work includes collaborations with the BBC, Treasure Entertainment and Avalon Television, including Smother for BBC and RTE and Series 4 of Breeders for Sky and FX.

Esosa Ighodaro is a Nigerian-Irish director and writer. She was the Resident Director at the Abbey Theatre in 2024 and is currently Artist in Residence at axis: Ballymun and an Associate Artist at the Civic Theatre. She has been selected as one of the 2026 cohort for Fishamble and the Irish Repertory Theatre’s Transatlantic Commissions Programme. Her recent directing credits include Ivy (Phizzfest 2026, The New Theatre 2025), No Escape (Dublin Youth Theatre 2025) and Imelda May: A Celebration of Lady Gregory (Abbey Theatre 2024). She is currently working as the dramaturg on a new dance theatre piece, as well as directing her original script, Let Me In, for Dublin Theatre Festival 2026.

Christian O’Reilly’s plays include Ferocity, Finding Sophie, Unspeakable Conversations (co-written with Liz Carr, Mat Fraser and Olwen Fouéré), The Table (Branar, 2023) and No Magic Pill, among others. His screen credits include the feature films Sanctuary (Best First Irish Feature at the 2016 Galway Film Fleadh), which he adapted for the screen from his play of the same name, and Inside I’m Dancing (Audience Award for Best Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2004). For television, he’s written episodes of Casualty, Holby City, Doctors, Deception, Red Rock and On Home Ground. Christian has twice been playwright-in-residence at Town Hall Theatre, Galway.

Places for this event are limited, so register as soon as possible to secure your place by emailing [email protected]

Please note that stipends are available upon request for those with caring needs that would otherwise prevent them from attending. Contact [email protected] for more information and to make a request.