Eileen Keane winner of James Plunkett Short Story Award
JAMES PLUNKETT AWARD FINAL
Wednesday 16th October saw a large turnout of guests for a glittering night at the Writers’ Centre. Friends and family of the nine finalists, who included our own members Barry Troy, Maureen Gallagher and Patrick McCusker, were joined by a large number of Union members.Final Draft October
James Harpur Sketch at launch
Following three rounds of competition Noel O’Regan, “Hoax”; Eleanor O’Reilly, “Coagulated Blood and Dread”, Maureen Gallagher, “Apparition at Friars Hill”; Chris Dooley, “Bookworm”; Barry Troy, “In for a Penny”; and Patrick McCusker, “The Hill Farms Are Dying” were all hoping to reach the final three of the James Plunkett Short Story Award, but in the end it was Anne O’Brien with her story “I Could Have Been Anything” who claimed Third Prize; Fiona O’Connor and her story, “The Mystery of the Missing Finger and the Dead Cat” taking Second Prize and Eileen Keane was the overall winner with her story “The Peace of Evening”, earning her €2,000.
Sadly, Jennifer Johnston, who selected the three prize winners, could not be there on the evening and it was Irish Times’ Literary Editor Fintan O’Toole who presented the winners with their cheques, following his absorbing speech on James Plunkett and the importance of literature to Ireland’s culture.
After Anne, Fiona and Eileen had read their prize winning stories, actor Bryan Murray brought a lovely evening to a close with his magnificent reading of James Plunkett’s “Ferris Moore and the Earwig”.