Seán O'Faoláin International Short Story Competition

Prizes

Judge

Submit

About

Previous Winners

Playlist of Prize-readings

 

Prizes

Word limit: 3,000 words
Closing date: 31st July (midnight)
Entry fee: €18 per story

The competition is open to original, unpublished and unbroadcast short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or fewer. The story can be on any subject, in any style, by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. Translated work is not in the scope of this competition. Entrants may enter more than one manuscript. Once entered, no alterations can be made to the submission. Simultaneous submissions are accepted but please notify us immediately should your work be accepted elsewhere.

1st Prize
— €2,000
— Residency (one week) at Anam Cara Retreat
— Featured reading at the Cork International Short Story Festival
— Publication in Southword

2nd Prize
— €500
— Publication in Southword

Four Runners-Up
— €250
— Publication in Southword

Judge

Billy O'Callaghan

Billy O’Callaghan was born in Cork in 1974, and is the author of three short story collections: In Exile (2008, Mercier Press), In Too Deep (2009, Mercier Press), and The Things We Lose, The Things We Leave Behind (2013, New Island Books), which was honoured with a Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Award and selected as Cork’s One City, One Book for 2017.

His first novel, The Dead House (2017, Brandon/O’Brien Press and 2018, Arcade/Skyhorse (USA)), an Irish best-seller, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was favourably reviewed in several major newspapers, including the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

His new novel, My Coney Island Baby, was published by Jonathan Cape (and Harper in the U.S.) in January 2019. A new short story collection, Even On Our Longest Days, is forthcoming in 2020.

 

How to Submit

Email entry

Send to: sofcomp@munsterlit.ie
Subject: "SOF entry"
Attachments:

1. The story for submission (Word document – we cannot accept PDFs). As the competition is judged anonymously, we request that you do not write your name or personal details anywhere on this document.
2. A cover letter (separate word document attached to the same email). The cover letter should include
   - Your name
   - Story title
   - Email address
   - Phone number
   - Postal address
   - Image of PayPal receipt or the Paypal transaction ID  number
   - How your heard about the competition
   - A brief bio (optional)
   Please ensure that this information is in the attachment and not in the body of the email.
3. Payment of the €18 entry fee can be made through PayPal

 

Postal entry: Please include

1. Submission manuscript (typed). To ensure anonymity, please do not write your name or any other personal details on the manuscript.
2. Cover letter - see details above. Cover letter should be on a separate page to ensure anonymity.
3. Payment: If you have paid through Paypal, just quote the Paypal transaction ID. Alternatively we accept cheques and bank drafts (see details below)
4. Send to:
   The Seán O'Faoláin International Short Story Competition,
   The Munster Literature Centre, Frank O'Connor House,
   84 Douglas Street,
   Cork, T12 X802
   Ireland
5. Please DO NOT SEND ENTRIES BY REGISTERED POST. Unfortunately we are less likely to receive entries sent by registered post and your submission may be ineligible due to the delay incurred.
6. If you would like us to send you confirmation of your postal entry, please include a self-addressed stamped postcard or envelope. We can also confirm the receipt of international entries via email.

Paypal

Paypal will deduct the fee in your own currency. As proof of payment, please include an image of the receipt or quote the transaction ID in your cover letter.

PayPal Portal will appear here on 1st May 2021

 

OTHER PAYMENT METHODS (Postal entries)

1. Cheques payable to THE MUNSTER LITERATURE CENTRE
2. Bank drafts
3. Other currencies: We can also accept cheques and bank drafts in Euro, U.S Dollars or Pounds Sterling at a rate of €18 (Euro), $22 (USD) or £18 (Sterling) for each entry.
4. Postal order (Republic of Ireland only)
5. Please note that we cannot accept cash payment

 

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