RTÉ Today show and Mercier Press announce the winner of new novelist competition

RTÉ’s Today show, in conjunction with Ireland’s oldest publishing house – Mercier Press, have announced Ireland’s newest published author. Rebecca Murphy from Co. Wicklow is the first winner of the Today show / Mercier Press new novelist competition 2025. Her manuscript Blood and Water wowed the Mercier Press judges with its engrossing plot, real characters and poignant ending.

This exciting new competition was opened in January offering one viewer the chance to become a published author. The competition was open to all first-time novelists who could submit a full manuscript of their new unpublished work. The competition proved very popular attracting over 600 entries with the overall winner offered a publishing deal.

Rebecca works as a mental health practitioner and has been writing regularly for over 10 years. This is Rebecca’s second success entering RTÉ writing competitions as she has also had a short story published in an RTÉ Book Show anthology. She was a recipient of a Faber Academy scholarship and completed the Academy’s ‘Finish Your Draft’ online course in 2024. This will be her first published novel. Rebecca who’s originally from Cork lives in the garden of Ireland, Wicklow with her wife and two dogs.

A Mercier Press editor will now work with the winning author on the manuscript with the book getting a published-on-demand deal and available in all bookshops nationwide by the end of the year.

Rebecca Murphy- winning author Blood & Water said; ‘’I’m so surprised and delighted to be the winner of the Today Show Mercier Press Novel competition. I’ve been working on Blood and Water for over 4 years now and it’s a piece of work I’m really proud of. I’m excited for it to get out into the world to be read and enjoyed by others.’’

Dee Collins, Head of Books at Mercier Press said; ‘’We were delighted to host this competition with RTÉ’s Today show. The judges had a difficult time selecting the winner as the writing was of a very high standard. Rebecca Murphy’s Blood and Water grabbed the judges and wouldn’t let go. Rebecca is a deserving winner of the novel competition. It showcases exceptional literary craftsmanship that captivates judges and readers alike. The novel triumphs through its masterful integration of character, theme, and narrative technique. At the heart of the novel’s success is its protagonist Susan, whose journey through grief, identity, and healing resonates with profound emotional authenticity.  Murphy doesn’t give us a saint – she gives us a broken human being who makes terrible choices while trying to outrun her grief. What elevates this novel is how Murphy weaves together past and present. The writing shines with authentic dialogue and vivid descriptions without becoming showy or pretentious. Murphy knows when to pull back, letting readers feel the emotional weight of a scene without being told how to feel. Blood and Water won because it does what great fiction should – it tells a deeply specific story that somehow feels universal, reminding us that the hardest person to forgive is often ourselves.’’

Colm Crowley, Head of RTÉ Cork, said; ‘’The Today Show is delighted to take part in the search for hopefully Ireland’s newest bestselling author. I want to compliment Mercier Press for helping The Today show create this fantastic opportunity for our viewers. Creativity and storytelling are what we Irish do brilliantly and I have no doubt we will discover a new voice in Irish fiction with this competition.’’ 

Dáithí Ó Se, Presenter, Today show said; ‘’It was a great privilege to be a part of this literary journey from the very beginning. This competition not only delivered an amazing book but also gives us a fantastic insight into what people are reading at the moment.  We were looking for contemporary fiction and Rebecca really has delivered with this winning first novel – Blood & Water. The volume of entries shows that Ireland is still very much a nation of great writers and artists with entries from all ages and all corners of the Island.  I wish her every success with this – her first, and all future works.’’

Rebecca will appear back in studio in the new season of Today later in the year to showcase her finished novel and update viewers on how it feels to be a published author.

-ENDS- 

Date: 22 May 2025

RTÉ Communications: Tara O’Leary

Notes to Editor:

Blood & Water – Rebecca Murphy Book Synopsis
Winner of the Mercier Press / RTÉ Today show new novelist competition 2025.

At the novel’s core is Susan, a woman we can’t help but root for despite her messiness. After suffering a devastating personal loss, she flees to her ancestral island off the Irish coast, abandoning her wife Jen and their life together. The island setting is masterfully rendered – a character in its own right that both shelters and challenges Susan. Murphy captures the rugged beauty of her remote outpost with all its contrasts: golden beaches, jagged cliffs, warm pub gatherings, Atlantic storms, and the intimate interconnectedness of island life set against the vast, indifferent sea.

What elevates this novel is how Murphy weaves together past and present, uncovering family secrets that have shaped generations. As Susan explores her uncle’s journals and speaks with islanders who remember her family, she discovers connections to her own struggles that she never anticipated. Will Susan find healing on this island, or will she be consumed by the same patterns that trapped her ancestors?