Ashton student Eanna Hardwicke, a 5^th Year student, was awarded second prize in the U18 Creative Writing for Youth category at Listowel Writer’s Week recently, the result of work he did in English class at Ashton, throughout Junior Cycle years, and now in Senior Cycle.  Renowned poet Paul Durcan,   presented Eanna with his prize on the Opening night, to warm applause from an appreciative audience.  Eanna read his work to an eclectic audience of national and international writers next day, which included Joseph O’Connor, Eileen Battersby, Andy Kershaw, Colum McCann, Donal Ryan, Dinaw Mengestu, Fergal Keane and many others.  Eanna’s work is now published in the Winner’s Anthology 2014 Listowel Writer’s Week.

He has had an abiding interest in literature, also great writers in every genre throughout his young life, being involved with the Gaeity School of acting in Cork since the age of 9, as part of the Gaeity Youth Theatre.

Expression through performance, be it drama or writing has been an integral part of Eanna’s life.

His portfolio of literary experiences makes for exciting reading! His favourite role in the past has been when he played the role of a prison officer in Shakespeare’s Antigone.  He had an active role in Gulliver’s travels with the National Youth Theatre in the Abbey Theatre Dublin for 6 weeks, and travelled to the Everyman in Cork for 3 nights performances.

At the tender age of just 12 years, Eanna was successful in his auditions for a role in a film, and starred in ‘The Eclipse’, a film directed by Colm McPherson, which went on to receive rave reviews.

The study of English and drama at Ashton School, as part of Eanna’s study for Junior Certificate and Leaving Cert. Examinations has been a great support to him.  The unstinting support of his family, especially his Mother who has clocked up the miles and patiently ‘waited’ at auditions, has been advantageous to Eanna in preparation for his many and varied roles in the world of acting, and creative writing.

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