Orna Ní Choileáin
Tá duaiseanna sa phrós cruthaitheach, san fhilíocht, sa drámaíocht agus sa ghearrscéalaíocht gnóthaithe ag Orna Ní Choileáin i gcomórtas liteartha an Oireachtais agus ag féilte Gaelacha eile. Tá trí leabhar le haghaidh léitheoirí fásta léi foilsithe go dáta agus tá sé cinn de úrscéalta le haghaidh léitheoirí óga foilsithe. In a measc bhí Sciorrann an tAm ar an ngearrliosta do Leabhar na Bliana, Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin in 2014. Ainmníodh Ailfí agus an Vaimpír den sraith vaimpírí do dhaoine óga agus an chéad leabhar eile sa tsraith, Vaimpír san Áiléar, le haghaidh Ghradam Réics Carló in 2012 agus 2013 faoi seach.
Tá mórshuim ag Orna sa cheol Gaelach freisin. Is maith léi mianach na scéalaíochta sna hamhráin agus ba é sin a ghríosaigh chun pinn í. Tá suim aici san amharclannaíocht chomh maith toisc an bealach gur féidir an foghlaimeoir a láinséal ón seomra ranga chun fianaise a thabhairt ar pé áit nó ábhair faoin spéir, nó lastall, atá faoi chaibidil sa dráma; nasctar an sprioctheanga beo le fís agus le fuaim an léiriú.
Cé nach raibh an Ghaeilge ag an dá ghlúin a chuaigh roimpi, tá Orna iontach bródúil an deis a bheith aici an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim. Bronnadh sparántacht ón gComhairle Ealaíona uirthi cheana agus fógraíodh í mar ealaíontóir cónaitheach sa scéim faoi stiúir ag an Centre Culture Irlandais i bPáras.
Orna Ní Choileáin has won prizes for her creative prose, poetry, drama and theatre, and short-story writing at the Oireachtas and at other Gaelic festivals. To date she has had three books for older readers published as well as six novels for younger readers. Sciorrann an tAm was shortlisted for the Book of the Year, Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin in 2014. Ailfí agus an Vaimpír and its sequel, Vaimpír san Áiléar (2013), were nominated for the Gradam Réics Carló in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Orna also has a keen interest in Irish traditional music. She enjoys the storytelling quality of song and it was this that inspired her to start writing. She also enjoys theatre because it serves as a medium to launch the young learner out of the classroom and bear witness to a tale or a place which is created in the drama; the target language is fused live with the visuals and sounds of the drama.
While the previous two generations of her family did not speak Irish, Orna is extremely proud of the opportunity she had to learn the Irish language. She is a recipient of the Arts Council bursay and has been anounced as recipient of the artist residence scheme directed by the Centre Culture Irlandais in Paris.