Winner Announced for RT Francis MacManus Competition 2014 Today, Tuesday 24 June 2014, RT Radio announced the winners of the Francis MacManus Short Story Competition 2014, the annual short story competition which includes a prize fund of 6,000 and a broadcast of each of the shortlisted stories.The Oyster Catchers by Beth Tyrrell is the overall winner. She receives a prize of 3,000. Her story, read by Kelly Campbell will be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Monday 30 June 2014. Beth Tyrrell grew up in Allihies, on the Beara Peninsula in West Cork and now lives in Bandon. She is a full time stay-at-home mother and a part time journalist and edits the parenting supplement of the Sunday World newspaper.
The Chamber Pot by Richard Ball from Co Meath is the second prize winner. He receives a prize of 2,000. His story, read by Andrew Bennett will be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Tuesday 1 July 2014. Richard was a teacher of English at St Patrick's Classical School, Navan, Co Meath and has a keen interest in theatre.
Whalesong by Barbara Leahy from Ballinlough in Cork is the third prize winner. She receives a prize of 1,000. Her story, read by Aonghus g McAnally will be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Wednesday 2 July 2014. Barbara's stories have appeared in Crann g magazine, on the RT Ten website, and in various anthologies. She has won the Hungry Hill Short Story Competition, the Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition, the Wells Festival of Literature Short Story Competition, and the Words with Jam Shortest Story Competition.
Since its establishment in 1986 the competition has been the launching pad, as well as a great source of motivation, encouragement and public recognition, for several new and emerging writers. Previous winners include Claire Keegan, Ciar n Folan, Ivy Bannister, Katy Hayes, Nuala N Chonch ir and Martin Malone.
The competition was founded in memory of Francis Mac Manus: the Kilkenny-born novelist, short story writer, biographer and former Head of Talks and Features at Radi ireann. A total of 813 short stories were entered into this year's competition, and were submitted from countries including England, Australia, France, Spain, Germany Poland, Japan, Canada the US as well as Ireland. From these entries, a shortlist of 25 was compiled.
The competition was judged this year by award-winning writers Julie Parsons and Christine Dwyer Hickey and Eoin Purcell, Commissioning Editor, New Island Books.
This year's 25 shortlisted stories will be read on RT Radio 1 over five weeks starting on Monday 30 June 2014, and then week-nightly 11.10pm. Readers of the stories include Andrew Bennett, Catherine Walsh, Bairbre N Chaoimh, Karl O'Neill, Aonghus g McAnally, Kelly Campbell, Patrick Dawson, Caitr ona N Mhurch , Angela Harding, Aaron Monaghan, Keith Hanna.
Francis MacManus Short Story Competition 2014 Broadcast dates:
The Oyster Catchers by Beth Tyrrell read by Kelly Campbell to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Monday 30 June 2014
The Chamber Pot by Richard Ball read by Andrew Bennett to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Tuesday 1 July 2014
Whalesong by Barbara Leahy read by Aonghus g McAnally to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Wednesday 2 July 2014
Venus and a Little Hell by Annemarie Neary read by Robert O'Mahoney to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Thursday 3 July 2014
He's Going Nowhere, Your Son by Fiona O'Rourke read by Catherine Walsh to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Friday 4 July 2014
Bus by Dermot Christophers read by Hugh O'Conor to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Monday 7 July 2014
O Danny Boy by Peter McNiff read by Aaron Monaghan to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Tuesday 8 July 2014
Silvercup by Fergal O'Byrne read by Andrew Bennett to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Wednesday 9 July 2014
Early Days by Joanne Hayden read by Karen Ardiff to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Thursday 10 July 2014
Bumblebee by Fiona Gartland read by Angela Harding to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Friday 11 July 2014
Tying the Knot by Clare O'Reilly read by Aileen Mythen to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Monday 14 July 2014
Mrs Ledbetter by Patrick Talbot read by Caitr ona Ni Mhurch to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Tuesday 15 July 2014
Head Shot by John Martin read by Keith Hanna to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Wednesday 16 July 2014
White by Alannah Hopkin read by Angela Harding to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Thursday 17 July 2014
Poked by Anne Donnelly read by Catherine Walsh to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Friday 18 July 2014
All There Ever Is by Toby McGrath read by Karl O'Neill to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Monday 21 July 2014
Bedtime Routine by Simon Rochford read by Aaron Monaghan to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014
Red by Colin Burns read by Andrew Bennett to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Wednesday 23 July 2014
Whaling Slang by John Fleming read by Gary Murphy to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Thursday 24 July 2014
Chrysalis by Lesley Cassidy read by Bairbre N Chaoimh to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Friday 25 July 2014
Spun Sugar by Anne Marie Harrington read by Aonghus g McAnally to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Monday 28 July 2014
Happiness by Hilary Minch read by Bairbre N Chaoimh to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Tuesday 29 July 2014
Reminiscence, an Ice Age, an Otter and an Eel by P l Mac Math na read by Aonghus g McAnally to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on Wednesday 30 July 2014
The Last Time I Saw Valerie by Mary McGill read by Aileen Mythen to be broadcast on RT Radio 1 at 11.02pm on
