RT SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2026 - SHORTLISTED STORIES ANNOUNCED

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS AT THE HEART OF NEW IRISH WRITING

LIVE FROM POETRY IRELAND, DUBLIN AND ON RT RADIO 1 FROM 7PM

DETAILS: www.rte.ie/writing | FOLLOW: #rteshortstory

RT has announced details of the ten outstanding new stories which have been shortlisted for the RT Short Story Competition 2026 in honour of Francis MacManus, from almost 2,500 entries submitted. 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the RT Short Story Competition which has been at the heart of new Irish writing throughout the four decades.

The ten shortlisted short stories were selected by this year's judges, Aingeala Flannery, Tristan Rosenstock and Jan Carson (see bios in Notes to Editors below) and they are (in alphabetical order, by story title):

A Fork In The Road' by Paul Edmondson

Bubble' by Jamie Samson

Co-Operative' by Cathy Shah

Cottage Pie' by Alison Jameson

Discover: Nature' by Alicia McAuley

Inertia' by John Armstrong

James Langley Was In Love With Sean Harris' by Stephanie O'Connor

Like Clean Windows Kill The Birds' by John O'Donovan

Na R isigh' by R n n Mac Con Iomaire

The Light From Other Places' by Kartikay Gupta

***Information about the writers and their stories are included in the Notes to Editors below, along with the RT Radio 1 broadcast schedule.

Judge Jan Carson said: It was an absolute treat to read the stories on this year's Francis McManus RTE short story competition. The range of perspectives covered, the quality of writing and use of voice was really impressive. While we had a tough time drawing up the shortlist, the judges were all in ultimate agreement and felt like we had a particularly high-quality group of submissions this year. There so much short story writing talent on this island right now.

Judge Aingeala Flannery said: It's inspiring to see the short story in such robust health. There were so many strong, unique voices in the running, it was challenging to whittle the entries down to a shortlist of ten. Speaking as a former finalist, the RT Short Story Competition gave me the confidence and encouragement I needed to put my work into the public arena, and I hope the shortlisted writers get the same boost, knowing that their stories shone in what was a highly competitive field. The judging was blind and I am very curious to discover the identity of the writers behind these excellent stories. While some of their names might be unfamiliar now, I look forward to reading more of their work in the future.

Judge Tristan Rosenstock said: In these unsettling times, a sense of foreboding and apprehension was evident in many of this year's entries. Some of our shortlisted stories reflect that, while others deal with grief, loss and the fragility of our mental health. But we also see the best of humanity; the kindness of strangers and the courage to take a stand on behalf of those worse off than ourselves. This year's shortlisted writers reaffirm the enduring power of the short story.

All ten stories will be published on rte.ie/culture on Saturday 17th October, and broadcast (read by actors) on RT Radio 1's Late Date with Cathal Murray and Ray Cuddihy over the course of the following two weeks, from Monday 19th October (see broadcast schedule in Notes to Editors).

They will also be featured regularly on RT Radio 1's Arena in advance of the awards event - an RT Radio 1 Arena special programme live on RT Radio 1 and RT Listen App from Poetry Ireland, Parnell Square, Dublin City at 7pm on Friday 30th October, which all the shortlisted writers are invited to attend. The event will feature readings of extracts from all ten shortlisted stories, each followed by a discussion with all three judges before they award their top prizes.

The winning writer will receive 5,000, while the second and third placed writers will receive 4,000 and 3,000 respectively. All seven runners-up will receive 300 each.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to attend the awards ceremony, with ticket details to be announced on Arena in advance of the event.

Sarah Binchy, series producer said: It's gratifying to see such a vibrant, diverse shortlist this year, and writers entering in such great numbers in the competition's 40th year. It's testament both to the great creative talent out there, and this competition's importance in the Irish literary ecosystem. We're looking forward to sharing the stories with a wider audience on air and on the awards night, in the beautiful Poetry Ireland building on Parnell Square.

Set up 40 years ago, in 1986 to honour writer and broadcaster Francis MacManus, the RT Short Story Competition has been a critically important launch pad for new and emerging writers in Ireland. Past winners and shortlisted writers include Claire Keegan, Molly McCloskey, Danielle McLaughlin, Anthony Glavin, Chris Binchy, Nuala O'Connor, Liz Nugent, Colin Walsh, Stephen Walsh, Austin Duffy and Sarah Gilmartin.

The RT Short Story Competition is free to enter, and open to any writer over 18 living on the island of Ireland or living abroad who holds an Irish passport. For more on the RT Short Story Competition, see www.rte.ie/writing.

ENDS

Neil O' Gorman, Corporate Communications Manager, RT

LINK:	https://about.rte.ie/2026/09/28/rte-short-story-competition-2026-short...
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