The 5th Annual Sean O’Faolain

Short Story Competition 2007

Three innovations to the prize this year. 1) The appointment of our first non-Irish judge, San Francisco-based Jon Boilard, who is a previous winner of the competition. 2) We are allowing email entries for the first time this year, see paragraph 7 below. 3)This year the winner can submit their manuscript to London literary agent Lucy Luck for a reading without having to sit in the slush pile. 

An annual short story competition dedicated to one of Ireland’s most accomplished story writers and theorists, sponsored by the Munster Literature Centre

Judge: For 2006 is Jon Boilard

First Prize: €1,500 (approx US$1900) and publication in the literary biannual Southword. 

Second Prize: €500 (approx US$640) and publication in Southword

Four other shortlisted entries will be selected for publication in Southword and receive a fee of 100 euros (approx US$130)

1. The competition is open to original unpublished short stories in the English language of 3,000 words or less. The story can be on any subject, in any style by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world.

2. Entries should be typed. The entrant’s name and contact details must be on a separate piece of paper. Manuscripts cannot be returned.

3. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry fee of €10, or £10 stg or US$15 or AU$18 or Can$16. You may make as many entries as you want. Cheques and money orders should be payable to the Munster Literature Centre. US Postal orders are not acceptable because the US Post Office will not honour payment outside the US. An entry form is not needed.

4. Closing date is July 31st 2007. All non-email entries must be postmarked before or on that date (in plainer English, entries posted before or on this date will be accepted after July 31st provided they are sent by airmail). only to the following address: The Munster Literature Centre, Frank O'Connor House, 84 Douglas Street, Cork, Ireland. (There is no post/zip code)

5. The winners will be announced at the International Frank O’Connor Festival of the Short Story in Cork in September 2006 . The winners will be invited to read their prize winning stories at the festival.

6. Enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard to acknowledge receipt.

7. We are accepting email entries for the first time in 2007. For email entries do the following: a) send your entry as a word document whose file name ends with ".doc"; b) send your story and cover letter as separate documents in the same email; c) pay your entry fee through Paypal below. Paypal accepts Mastercard and Visa and guarantee security; d) in the body of the email, list your name, address, story title and paypal receipt number; e) as subject heading in your email put "SOF 2007 Entry".  email to: seanofaolainshortstory@gmail.com

8. Judge’s decision is final.

9. It would assist us greatly if you let us know how you first heard of this competition, whether through a mailshot, word of mouth, classified advert, flyer newsprint story, link from another site or search engine.

For further information contact: The Munster Literature Centre, 84 Douglas Street, Cork. munsterlit@eircomdotnet (replace "dot" with " ." when emailing, this is an anti-spam measure)

2004 Winners Listed Here

2003 Winners Listed Here

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