The John McGahern Award 2020

As part of the Iron Mountain Literature Festival, Leitrim County Council and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre with the support of the McGahern Estate developed the John McGahern Award to encourage the development of emerging Irish writers and to pay tribute to the exceptional contribution of John McGahern to literature, and to Leitrim.

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John McGahern is one of Ireland’s most respected and celebrated authors. His fiction is critically acclaimed internationally, has been translated into many languages and has appeared in many anthologies. He was a member of Aosdána and won numerous awards, including the Irish-American Foundation Award, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and the Prix Etranger Ecureuil. He taught at universities in Ireland, England, the USA and Canada. Amongst Women, which won both the GPA and Irish Times Award, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and made into a BBC television series.

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The recipient of the award who will receive a two-week fully resourced residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre and a stipend of €1,000, will be publicly announced on Saturday 3rd October 2020 during the festival



Who Can Apply:

This is an open call to early career writers of fiction resident in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Applicants must have had some fiction or short stories published in a recognised journal or anthology selected by an established publisher or editor.



How to Apply:

Applications are accepted on-line through the link at the bottom of this page and must include:


A cover letter clearly and concisely outlining the project you would like to focus on during your time at Annaghmakerrig.


An up to date biography.


Three samples of recent separate work of up to 500 words each.

Each sample of work should have two cover pages: the first listing the title of work and the author’s name, address, and contact details; and a second listing only the title of the work. The author’s name, other identifying information, and publication information must not appear after the first cover page.

All attachments should be in .doc, .docx or Open Office (.odt) format.

​ Works submitted are judged anonymously.



Application Deadline:

Closing date for receipt of submissions is Midnight Friday 31 July, 2020. No late applications will be considered. Applications will be acknowledged by email on receipt.

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Selection Process:

Applications go before a selection committee nominated by Leitrim County Council and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre. The successful applicant will be notified no later than 15 September, 2020. The recipient of the award will be publicly announced on Saturday 3rd October 2020 during the Iron Mountain Literature Festival at The Dock, Carrick on Shannon.

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Make a Submission