The 2022 RTÉ Short Story competition in honor of Francis MacManus is still open for entries and writers from Waterford and across Ireland have until Friday 13 May to submit their short story to the competition.
This year’s entries will be judged by writers Lisa McInerney, Ferdia McAnna and Éilis Ní Dhuibhne.
Since its inception over 35 years ago, the RTÉ Short Story Competition has been a critically important launch pad for new and emerging writers in Ireland.
Established in 1986 to honor writer and broadcaster Francis MacManus, the competition recognizes and rewards the best new writing in Irish fiction for radio. The competition is free and attracts thousands of entries each year.
This year, the first prize has increased to €5,000, while second and third writers will receive €4,000 and €3,000 respectively. Seven other finalists will each receive €250.
A shortlist of ten stories will be announced in September, and the top winners will be announced during a special Arena program later in the fall.
The 10 shortlisted stories will be published on rte.ie/culture and broadcast in a season of new writing on RTÉ Radio 1 in the autumn.
You can listen and read the 10 pre-selected stories from last year here
Judge for the second consecutive year, Lisa McInerney, says:
“I am honored to be back as a judge for the RTÉ News Competition, and look forward to a repeat of what has proven in 2021 to be an uplifting and inspiring experience. Reading the entries last year , I was struck by how we use stories to make sense of the world around us, to illuminate dark places or to understand the lives of others.
“I’m excited to find out what’s in store for us in 2022.”
Judge, Ferdia McAnna says:
“In a short story, there should be nowhere to hide. Like a screenplay, every word and every sentence has to earn a living. He must take the listener on a journey before leaving him at home almost intact.
“All I can say for sure is that I want to step into a human vision and for a little while feel mesmerized, elated, surprised and transported. Beir Boua.
Judge, Éilis Ní Dhuibhne says:
“The news has everything. It’s dramatic, it’s lyrical, it’s deep, it’s economical. It’s always been my favorite genre, writing and reading – and of course listening.
“I look forward to reading your stories.”
The RTÉ news competition has championed new talent for decades; past winners and shortlisted writers include Claire Keegan, Danielle McLaughlin, Anthony Glavin, Chris Binchy, Nuala O’Connor, Liz Nugent, Colin Walsh and Sarah Gilmartin. Last year’s winner was Kevin Donnellan for his short story, The Third Day.
All shortlisted stories are produced for radio and performed by some of Ireland’s most talented actors. In recent years they have included Cathy Belton, Eamon Morrissey, Ali White, Ingrid Craigie, Janet Moran, Kathy Rose O’Brien, Emmet Kirwan and Andrew Bennett.
Sarah Binchy, producer of the series, says:
“At 35, the competition now happily inhabits the digital and analogue world – you can enter online or by post, and we podcast and publish all shortlisted stories online, as well as broadcast them on RTÉ Radio 1.
“But it continues to do what our colleagues who created it in 1986 in honor of Francis MacManus intended to uncover and share some of the best new Irish drama for radio every year.
“I encourage anyone who is serious about their writing to participate, and I can’t wait to see what this year’s writers have in store for us.”
For contest rules, information on how to enter, and to read and listen to past winning stories, seewww.rte.ie/writing.