Annually the Munster Literature Centre, publishers of Southword Journal, hosts two international short story competitions: the Séan Ó Faoláin Prize for a single short story and the Frank O’Connor Award for a collection of short stories.

 The deadline for submissions for the 2014 Séan Ó Faoláin Competition is 31 July, and is open to any unpublished work of short fiction in the English language. Winners will be published in a journal which has previously showcased Haruki Murakami, Colm Tóibín, Patrick Galvin, Richard Ford and Tania Hershman amongst many other respected literary figures. The winner of the first prize will receive €2,000 (approx $2760/£1640), publication in the literary journal Southword, AND a week-long residency at Anam Cara Writer’s and Artist’s Retreat. Second Prize is €500 and publication in Southword. Four other shortlisted entries will be selected for publication in Southword and receive a publication fee of €120. *Currency exchange amounts via XE.com, calculated April 2014.

The Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Competition is an annual short story competition dedicated to one of Ireland’s most accomplished story writers and theorists. If the winner comes to Cork to collect their prize, we will lavish them with hotel accommodation, meals, drinks and VIP access to the literary stars at the Cork International Short Story Festival (16 – 20 September 2014). This year’s judge is Joyce Russell, author of Bloodlines (Mercier Press) and was winner of the 2006 Seán Ó Faoláin Competition. More information, including submission guidelines, may be found on our website or via our Facebook page.

The Munster Literature Centre is pleased to announce the SHORTLIST for the 2014 Frank O’Connor international Short Story Award (in alphabetical order by author surname below):

Young Skins by Colin Barrett (IRE)
All the Rage by A.L. Kennedy (UK)
Redeployment by Phil Klay (USA)
Leaving the Sea by Ben Marcus (USA)
Bark by Lori Moore (USA)
The Isle of Youth by Laura Van Den Berg (USA)

This year’s judges are Matthew Sweeney (IRE), Alison MacLeod (UK/CAN) and Manuel Gonzales (USA). The longlist, published Monday 9 June, is also available to view.

The Cork City – Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award is an annual award of €25,000 and is currently the world’s richest prize for a short story collection. The award is in memory of the late Frank O’Connor, one of the world’s most renowned short story writers. The award, organised by the Munster Literature Centre and funded by Cork City Council, is presented in O’Connor’s hometown of Cork, Ireland, at the end of the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Festival. The prize is awarded to the author of the book judged to be the best collection of stories published in English for the first time anywhere in the world in the twelve months between a first publication date of between July 1st of the prior year and June 30th of the current year. If a translated book wins, the purse is shared equally between the author and translator. More information, including submission guidelines, may be found on our website or via our Facebook page.