Galway writer Aoife Burke has been chosen to represent Ireland internationally in the upcoming book 100 Artists of Europe, published by Culturale Lab in Italy.
“It was a huge honour to be chosen among so many talented people. It’s a milestone for me in my career, and it’s very special to me,” she said.
Coming from a family of writers from Galway, Burke has had a career unlike any other. Since graduating from the University of Galway in 2023 with a degree in English and Journalism, she has published books in various genres, appeared in music videos, and has won multiple awards for her work.
Ms Burke believes it was her distinctive writing journey that set her apart from the thousands of artists who submitted their work, earning her a two-page feature in the book.
In October 2020, Burke’s first science fiction book Luminess: The Island of the Moon was published on Amazon. Her book Daydreams of a Writer, published in 2023, was awarded an Independent Press Award in the ‘Distinguished Favourite’ category for its audiobook version.
Her first poetry book, The Celestial Collection, was published in 2024 and is due to be turned into an audiobook in 2026.
She has also released two children’s picture books; Cyril the Squirrel and Thumble Thistle the Bee.
“I look for inspiration everywhere, whether it’s a song I’m listening to, or walking my dog, or a conversation with a friend. The world is full of things to write about,” she said.
In 2022 she was successful in a competition to be part of a panel to work in the RTÉ newsroom as a runner for news and current affairs. She has also written for the Irish magazine Woman’s Way.
About her impressive career, Burke expressed her long-time desire to work in the industry.
“I’ve always known I would be a writer. It’s a gut feeling I’ve had since I was a child. A story comes to me, and I have to write it. Going with that instinct was the best thing I’ve ever done.”
She urges any aspiring writers to keep going, even when discouraged.
“As a writer, persistence is the most important thing. There are a lot of talented people out there, but talent is only one part of it. If you’re talented but you’re not actively writing, then your ability only takes you so far,” she said.
Alongside her critical acclaim, Burke has also built an online community through an increasing social media following over the years. Having over 17K followers on X and 1,200 followers on Facebook, it is clear that many others have been interested in her journey as well.
“This industry can be very lonely. A lot of my followers are writers, and they’ve become a support network for me. If I’m ever experiencing writer’s block, I’ll go on X and express this and I’ll get people responding telling me they’re going through the same thing. When I hit creative doubt, I turn to other forms of making; drawing picture stories like I did as a child. Doing something creative usually inspires me to write again,” she said.
As well as her literary success, Burke has also appeared in short films, Irish TV show Ros na Rún, and a music video for the Coronas song Won’t Leave You Alone, which has almost 400,000 views on YouTube.
Burke was interviewed on Today FM’s Ian Dempsey Breakfast show in 2020 as an up-and-coming author. She also appeared on the RTÉ TV show How to be Good with Money in 2022.
When asked which of her achievements has felt the most transformative to her, instead of naming one of her more high-profile awards, Ms Burke referred to being a runner-up in a student journalism competition in 2020.
“That may not have been my biggest accomplishment to date, but that had a huge impact on me. That was the first time I thought, maybe I could do this as a career.”
Aoife Burke’s career has clearly never followed a conventional script. Instead, it has unfolded as a series of bold creative leaps, across writing, broadcasting, performance, and journalism.
Burke plans on pursuing a master’s in writing at the University of Galway this coming September. She is currently finishing her next sci-fi book and is hoping to put it forward for more awards next year.
Burke stands as proof that unconventional paths can lead to remarkable places, and her career is a testament to her incredible determination. And if her journey so far is anything to go by, the next chapter promises to be her most compelling yet.
