Stowe Story Labs Announces Roster for 2026 Connemara Writers’ Retreat
Stowe Story Labs, in partnership with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, the Galway Film Fleadh, the Marketplace at the Galway Film Fair, and the Renvyle House Hotel, is pleased to announce the roster for Stowe’s Fifth Annual Connemara Writers’ Retreat.
Stowe’s Connemara Writers’ Retreat is a five-day program designed for emerging and established screenwriters and filmmakers working to develop feature or television scripts. Paired with top-industry mentors, participants will receive high level feedback along with other meaningful industry insights to help advance their work and take it to market. The Program runs at the iconic Renvyle House Hotel on the scenic Atlantic Coast of Connemara, County Galway, Ireland.
We look forward to working with this talented group of artists and mentors. Congratulations to all.
PARTICIPANTS
Jeda de Brí (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — Dublin, Ireland — Tart // Comedy Feature
Martha Dunlea (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — Waterford, Ireland — Éalú // Drama TV Mini-Series
Gary Duong — Washington, D.C., USA — Great Expectations // Drama, Coming-of-Age Feature
Candace Egan — O’Neals, CA, USA — Island Hearts // Romantic Comedy Feature
Jenny Goddard — Austin, TX, USA — Cosmic Beasts // SciFi, Western TV 1 hr
Kate Haley (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — Donegal, Ireland — The Shadow of Me // Thriller, Coming-of-Age Feature
Joey Kao — Los Angeles, CA, USA — Peroxide for the Soul // Horror Feature
Laura Kemp — Poulsbo, WA, USA — Don’t Blink // Drama Feature
Edelle Kenny and Aoife Leonard (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellows) — Dublin, Ireland — Slánú // Dark Comedy TV 1 hr
Carolyn Klarecki — Los Angeles, CA, USA — There's Something Fishy in St. Ignace // Drama TV 1 hr
Patrick Leahy — New Milford, CT, USA — Wisps // Drama Feature
Matthew McDevitt (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — Derry, Northern Ireland — Pariah // Thriller, Social Drama TV 1 hr
Olivia McLaughlin (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — Dublin, Ireland and London, England — Last Girl Standing // Drama, Comedy TV ½ hr
Bridget McMahon — Annapolis, MD, USA — Relative Security // Comedy TV ½ hr
Susan Morgan — Santa Fe, NM, USA — Santa Fe // Drama TV 1 hr
Natasha Preston — Glendale, CA, USA — Keen // Horror Feature
Katie Seward — Los Angeles, CA, USA — The Thin Place // Drama TV Mini-Series
Ashleigh Stanczak — Pittsburgh, PA, USA — Kill Me? // Dark Comedy TV 1 hr
Hanna Tatschl (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — London, England — Hag // Dark Comedy TV Mini-Series
David Winn (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellow) — Dublin, Ireland — Animals // Crime Drama Feature
We are pleased to spotlight the two artists and their projects that received honorable mentions for the Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Fellowships:
Síofra Brogan — Bray, Wicklow, Ireland – Magpie // Folk Horror, TV Anthology
Sinéad O'Loughlin — Cork, Ireland – Hunter-Gatherers // Drama, Psychological Feature
MENTORS
Ciara Appelbe — Bray, Ireland — Head of Development, O’Sullivan Productions
Conor Barry — Dublin, Ireland — Creative Producer
Melody Cooper — Los Angeles, CA, USA — Writer/Director
Ali Doyle — Dublin, Ireland — Creative Producer
Aaron Farrell — Dublin, Ireland — Creative Producer and Head of Drama for Shinawil
Karol Griffiths — London, England — Development Consultant, Script Editor, and Creative Producer
Olivia Hetreed — London, England — Screenwriter
Jeanie Igoe — Dublin, Ireland — Producer
Tim Loane — Belfast, Northern Ireland — Screenwriter, Showrunner, Director, and Actor
Cara Loftus — Dublin, Ireland — Screenwriter
Ruth Meehan — Dublin, Ireland — Writer, Director, Educator
Derek Simonds — Brooklyn, NY, USA — Showrunner/Director
FEATURED SPEAKER
Stuart Carolan — Dublin, Ireland — Screenwriter
GALWAY FILM FLEADH TEAM
Miriam Allen — Galway, Ireland — Chief Executive Officer of Galway Film Fleadh
William Fitzgerald — Galway, Ireland — Director of Galway Film Fair
Debbie McVey — Galway, Ireland — Galway Film Fair
LEAD FACILITATORS
David Rocchio — Stowe, VT, USA — Founder & Director of Stowe Story Labs
David Pope — Lewes, England — Co-Founder, Lead Facilitator/Program Delivery
PROGRAM MANAGER
Katerina Eichenberger — Atlanta, GA, USA — Deputy Director / Director of Admissions & Enrollment, Stowe Story Labs
