WITH a topic entitled “Be careful what you wish for”, teens were allowed to let their imagination run free for the Dublin Literary Award for Young Malaysians 2012 essay writing competition.

Irish Ambassador to Malaysia Declan Kelly said many of the participants from the competition had displayed a maturity beyond their age in the essays they submitted for the topic.

The response to the competition this year was overwhelming he said, adding that the teens’ creative writing styles made their essays interesting.

Shortli sti ng entries: Kelly (seated, second from left) looking at the winning essays with Wing (left) and Kol Theseira. Standing (from left) are Chong, Raman, Er and Linda.

Twenty-nine aspiring writers have been shortlisted from a pool of 1,500 entries. The grand prize winner will be announced next Wednesday.

The writer of the Best Overall Essay — together with a parent — will earn a trip to Dublin to attend the gala ceremony for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

The second prize winner will win a cash prize of €500 (RM1,979).

At the judging were members of the shortlisting committee that included Kelly and Margaret Wing, the honorary secretary of the St Patrick’s Society of Selangor.

The final judging panel also included ESB International general manager Tom Lee, Irish Universities and Medical Schools Consortium manager Barbara Er, National Library assistant director Chong Soon Kiong, Star Publications (M) Bhd events communications manager Linda Sharini, Silverfish Books managing director Raman Krishnan and Kol (Rtd) Max Theseira from the St Patrick’s Society of Selangor.

The judges agreed that the shortlisted entries stood out with the originality of their ideas.

The annual essay writing competition was organised by the Irish Embassy in collaboration with the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry, the National Library and The Star. It is also supported by the Education Ministry and open to all schools in Malaysia.

The competition has two categories — the junior category for those aged between 14 and 15, and the senior category for teens aged between 16 and 18.

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