The Writers Guild of Ireland (WGI) has announced the nominees for the 17th Zebbie Awards with the finalists across the seven categories reflecting another brilliant year for Irish writing talent.
The awards ceremony, which will be presented by Tara Flynn, will take place on Tuesday, 3rd September at The Sugar Club in Dublin. Voting by WGI members will close on July 28th.
“Despite a tumultuous year for the arts last year, with strikes, cutbacks and the erosion of opportunities for emerging talent, an exceptionally high standard of writing is reflected throughout this year’s nominations, with nominees including Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor who wrote the highly acclaimed feature film Baltimore,” the WGI stated in their release.
The Zebbie Awards celebrate the best of Irish writing in Theatre, Television Drama, Continuing Drama, Short Film, Feature Film, Radio and Animation. Only WGI members can read the nominated scripts and vote in the awards.
They are named in honour of O.Z. ‘Zebby’ Whitehead, a Broadway and Hollywood actor who was a great supporter of theatre and writing in Ireland after he moved to Dublin in 1963. This year’s awards take place as the Writers’ Guild of Ireland celebrates its Emerald Anniversary, marking 55 years since it was first established as the Society of Playwrights in Ireland.
As part of its Emerald celebrations, the WGI will be hosting the World Conference of Screenwriters 2024 in Galway this October, where over two hundred screenwriters from all across the world will gather to discuss their craft and their industry.
This year’s Zebbie Awards will also present former Senator David Norris, who hosted the Zebbie Awards for many years, with the WGI’s Special Services to Writers Award in honour of his support for the WGI and Irish writers.
Jennifer Davidson, Chair of the Writers Guild of Ireland, said: “It is our privilege to hold the annual Zebbie Awards to recognise and celebrate the best writing for stage, screen and radio across seven categories. It is a real privilege to celebrate the talent of Irish writers and remind everyone of the brilliant creative minds behind your favourite films, plays, radio dramas and tv shows.”
The 2024 Zebbie Awards Nominees are:
Best Short Film Script
Good Chips – Nell Hensey & Brigid Mai Khanh Leahy
Wind and The Shadow – Kris Kelly
Yellow Belt – Alan O’Gorman & Allyn Quigley
Best Animation Script
Lu & The Bally Bunch; “Grow Lines” – Shane Langan & Amy Stephenson
Flix; Forever Eleventeen – Sian Ní Mhuirí
Worry World – Hugh O’Conor
Best Continuing Drama Script
Doctors [Series 24, Ep 91] – Caitriona Daly
Fair City [Series 34, Ep 114] – Maria Hickey
Ros na Rún [Sraith 28, Mír 4] – Eoin MacDiarmada
Best TV Drama Script
Falling for The Life of Alex Whelan – Nell Hensey
Obituary [Series 1, Ep 1] – Ray Lawlor
Smother [Series 3, Ep 5] – Nessa Wrafter
Best Feature Film Script
Ann – Ciaran Creagh
Lies We Tell – Elisabeth Gooch
Baltimore – Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor
Best Theatre Script
Quake – Janet Moran
The United States vs Ulysses – Colin Murphy
Gold in the Water – Shane O’Reilly, Paul Curley, Denis Clohessy
Best Radio & Audio Drama Script
Carthanacht Chlíodhna [Eagrán 2] – Dorothy Cotter & Cillian O’Donnachadha
High Spirits – Méabh de Brún
Antigone – Colin Murphy
