Another woman winner for the Mitchelstown International Short Story Comp this year, with a story I chose (yippee!) to pass on to John MacKenna, the final judge.
Big congrats to Chani Anderson of Galbally, Co. Tipperary, who won the top prize with her story 'How To Avoid Mother’s Day Cards' - a very well-written story of secrets, lies and maternal sorrow.
She receives a cash prize of €2,500 and a lap-top computer.
Runner up prizes of €200.00 each have been awarded to the following entries (5 more women, you will notice. Congrats girls!):
Kathleen Murray, Cabra, Dublin 7
Irene Rose-Ledger, Glasthule, Co. Dublin
Roisin McDermott, Celbridge, Co. Kildare
Mary Lennon, Coolock, Dublin 13
Tanya Farrelly, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Full competition details can be found at www.mitchelstownshortstoryprize.com
WOMEN RULE WRITER: Lit blog of Nuala O'Connor / Nuala Ní Chonchúir
8 comments:
Go on the women! Really wanna read that story. I like the title.
Obviously the judges chose the best stories, but were there any niggly feelings about the single-gender shortlist?
None of the judges(2 men and 1 woman) knew the identities/sexes of the writers of the stories. I still don't know who wrote what, apart from the winner. So there's no room for niggly feelings. On a personal level (as a woman writer and feminist) I'm thrilled that the chips fell this way. Makes a change from the male dominated norm in literature!
p.s. the original shortlist of 10 had 2 male writers on it. It's the runners up and winner who are all female, chosen by a male judge.
Go Girls ! Congratulations to them all x
Oh yes, I'd forgotten the entries didn't have names on them. It is kind of nifty the women came out on top! If the shortlist had been all guys, I probably wouldn't even have remarked on it ...
Hi again Eimear,
Thanks for your comments.
I think it's easy to think there's something afoot with the judging of comps. I'll admit I've thought it myself before! :)
But, at least from my POV, it's all very straightforward. The best writing is easily recognisable and it is the best writing that gets to the final pile that I read and re-read.
I'm doing judging for another comp - final stages today - and have 4 excellent pieces of work to choose from. It's bloody hard!
And I don't care if the writers are Irish or Mongolian, if they are man, woman or child. I just want to reward the best writing as I see it.
Ah - great to see Beaut.ie Mammy in there!
Congrats everyone!
Oooh, who is that?! I love beaut.ie!
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