NUI Galway BA with Creative Writing student, Helen Hughes, has been awarded the University College London (UCL), Faber and Faber/David Tebbutt Scholarship. The award is presented annually to fully fund a place on the prestigious UCL MA in Publishing programme.

This is the second year running that an NUI Galway BA with Creative Writing student has been awarded this scholarship, with Philip Connor receiving it last year.

Originally from Corr na Móna, Co. Galway, Helen has just completed her final year of the BA with Creative Writing degree at the University. She had her first short story published this year in Ropes literary journal from the MA in Publishing Class in NUI Galway.

Commenting on the scholarship, Helen said: “I would like to sincerely thank the Tebbutt family and Faber and Faber for the opportunity of a lifetime. I still have to pinch myself when I think of studying in London this September and getting to work alongside the Faber team! I would never have gotten this far without the support of my family, my friends and the teaching staff in NUI Galway.”

Faber and Faber and UCL announced the new scholarship in 2013 in memory of the late David Tebbutt, Finance Director of Faber and Faber. The scholarship is funded by the David Tebbutt Trust, which is jointly administered by Faber and Faber and the Tebbutt family. The principal aim of the Trust is to further the education of those wishing to pursue a career in any of the publishing, writing and information industries and related fields of activity. As well as covering Helen’s full fees for her MA, the scholarship also guarantees her a work placement with Faber and Faber. 

Dr John Kenny, Director of the BA with Creative Writing at NUI Galway, said: “I am delighted for Helen – her achievement is a testament to her own creativity and diligence and also to the contribution made to the Creative Writing programme by our teachers, writers and mentors. Helen particularly excelled within our workshop and project-led environment – her combination of talent, hard work and sheer care for the creative endeavours of others will stand her in excellent stead as she moves on now to the next stage of her learning. She will be one to watch in the publishing world.”    

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