About the festival:

Munster Literature Centre

 

In 2000, the Munster Literature Centre organised the first Frank O'Connor International Short Story Festival, an event dedicated to the celebration of the short story and named for one of Cork's most beloved authors. The festival showcases readings, literary forums and workshops. Following continued growth and additional funding, the Cork City - Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award was introduced in 2005, coinciding with Cork's designation as that year's European Capital of Culture. The award is now recognised as the single biggest prize for a short story collection in the world and is presented at the end of the festival.

In 2002, the Munster Literature Centre introduced the Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Prize, an annual short story competition dedicated to one of Ireland's most accomplished story writers and theorists. This too is presented during the short story festival. The centre also hosts the Cork Spring Poetry Festival each year.

www.munsterlit.ie

 

 

The Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award

 

 

The Cork City - Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award is an annual award of €35,000 and is currently the world's richest prize for the short story form. 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. For more information please visit our dedicated award website:

http://www.frankoconnor-shortstory-award.net/

Click here to view the 2012 longlist!

 

Past Winners of the FOC Award

 

Edna O'BrienSaints & Sinners by Edna O'Brien

 

Edna O'Brien's Saints and Sinners (2011)

Ron Rash's Burning Bright (2010)

Simon Van Booy's Love Begins in Winter (2009)

Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth (2008)

Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You (2007)

Haruki Murakami's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (2006)
(shared with translators Jay Rubin & Philip Gabriel)

Yiyun Li's A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2005)

 

The Seán Ó Faoláin Prize

 


In 2002, the Munster Literature Centre introduced the Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Prize, an annual short story competition dedicated to one of Ireland's most accomplished story writers and theorists. This too is presented during the FOC festival. This year's judge is poet, novelist & playwright Ian Wild. The deadline for entering the 2012 is 31 July, and the winner will be announced at this year's Cork International Short Story Festival. For more information, please visit the Munster Literature Centre homepage.

 

 

Past Winners of the SOF Prize

 

PG O'Connor

2011 Seán Ó Faoláin winner P.G. O'Connor

 

P.G. O'Connor's 'The Haggard' (2011)
Click here to read story in Southword

Nikita Nelin's 'Eddie' (2010)--Click here to read story in Southword

Alexa Beattie's 'Cold Cut' (2009)--Click here to read story in Southword

Julia Van Middlesworth's 'Daddy Dead' (2008)

Toby McGrath (2007)

Joyce Russell (2006)

James Moynihan (2005)

Jon Boilard (2004)

William Wall (2003)