The Young Writers Award was set up in 2018 to encourage the next generation of arts writers at the Fringe. Any writers aged 16–21 were eligible to take part, submitting work either published or unpublished.
As recipient of the award, Róisin will receive one-to-one mentoring from arts writers at the Scotsman and paid work as part of the paper’s review team at Fringe 2025.
Róisin said: "I am genuinely honoured to be the winner of the 2024 Fringe Young Writers Award. This is the first time I've had the opportunity to attend the Fringe and I had the most incredible time; the festival is so special in its celebration of personal creativity. It was a privilege to review at this year's Fringe, it has given me a great amount of purpose and to be awarded for the work I completed there means a great deal to me. In an industry that often feels extremely exclusive, I am so grateful to be given a voice and an opportunity. I am filled with hope for a future career in arts journalism and I am extremely excited to hone my craft with support from The Scotsman. Thank you very much."
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “We are always delighted to support the return of the Young Fringe Writers’ Award. The Fringe is a wonderful opportunity for writers to learn and develop at the very start of their career, and this award gives us the opportunity to support and encourage emerging writers. Congratulations to Róisin on receiving the 2024 award and we look forward to following her career and hope to welcome her back to the Fringe in the future. Thank you to the Scotsman team for supporting Róisin over the coming months.”
