Students at the University of Galway are calling on writers and artists across Galway and beyond to submit work for the 34th edition of ROPES.
ROPES Literary Journal is a non-profit, student run, annual journal managed entirely by the University of Galway’s MA Literature and Publishing program.
The journal donates all proceeds each year to a chosen charity. For the 2026 edition, funds raised will go to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, supporting medical care, food, and shelter for children affected by the crisis in Gaza.
Since its inception, ROPES has been a platform for artistic voices both nationally and internationally. With six weeks left before submissions close, the team is encouraging local creatives to embrace this year’s theme: PUNK.
Punk
This year’s theme asks contributors to explore punk. Punk is many things to many people.
Punk is rebellion. Punk is anti-establishment. Punk is love. Punk is loud. Punk is colour. Punk is community. Punk is dystopia. Punk is utopia. Punk is past. Punk is present. Punk is future. Punk is not dead.
Writers and artists are encouraged to explore and develop their own unique interpretations of this theme.
“To me, punk is about nonconformity, community, and self-made joy,” said Ciara O’Connor, Editorial Lead for ROPES.
What ROPES is looking for:
Writers and visual artists from Galway and further afield are invited to submit:
- Fiction (up to 3,000 words)
- Non-fiction (up to 3,000 words)
- Flash fiction (up to 500 words)
- Poetry (up to 40 lines)
Visual art including photography, collage, illustrations, mixed-media, etc.
Submissions must be previously unpublished, and the editorial team especially welcomes first-time submitters, student creators, and voices from underrepresented communities.
Submission Deadlines
- Written work: January 5, 2026
- Visual work: January 19, 2026
Submission guidelines and forms are available at: www.ropesliteraryjournal.com/
ROPES has featured both emerging and established writers, including Colm Tóibín, Nuala O’Connor, and many voices from Galway’s thriving literary community.
Created entirely by MA students each year, the journal is launched every April during the Cúirt International Festival of Literature.
