James Plunkett Award Short Story Shortlist Announced
Following three rounds of competition, the Irish Writers’ Union are pleased to announce the following have made the final shortlist of nine for the James Plunkett Short Story Award.
Noel O’Regan, “Hoax”
Fiona O’Connor, “The Mystery of the Missing Finger and the Dead Cat”
Maureen Gallagher, “Apparition at Friars Hill”
Eleanor O’Reilly, “Coagulated Blood and Dread”
Chris Dooley, “Bookworm”
Barry Troy, “In for a Penny”
I Could Have Been Anything, “Anne O’Brien”
The Hill Farms Are Dying, “Patrick McCusker”
The Peace of Evening, “Eileen Keane”
Almost uniquely in Irish consciousness, the 1913 Lockout is remembered and accessed almost exclusively through literature. The events and the legacy of 1913 are often difficult to interpret. In his seminal book, ‘Strumpet City’, James Plunkett takes the events of 1913 and weaves them into a format that is instantly accessible: the humble story.
Thus, it is very fitting that, in 2013, a major short story award has been launched and named in Plunkett’s honour.
The award brings together the Irish Writers’ Union, the Irish Writers’ Centre, the Unesco City of Literature committee, Dubin City Council, the Dublin Library Service, the 1913 Committee and ICTU under a banner that seeks to celebrate Plunkett’s great skill as a social commentator. Entrants were asked, simply, to recall Plunkett when writing.
A sincere congratulations to those who have been shortlisted. The quality of the entries has been of a standard that demonstrates the strength of the continued Renaissance of the short story in Ireland.
The final will take place in the Irish Writers’ Centre at 7:30 on 16th October. The winners will be selected by Jennifer Johnson.