Colm Tóibín short story contenders

WEXFORD Literary Festival taking place in Enniscorthy from Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 21, has announced the shortlist for the Colm Tóibín International Short Story Award.

The shortlisted entries are Angel of Chartres by Lorcan Byrne; Time Heals by Pamela Hobbs; Bitter Truth by Tricia Hagan; Horses by Sally Jubb; Variable Stars by Rose Stevens; The Handshake Men by Robert Barrett; Aliens Like Myself by Helen Lahert; A Simple Loss of Balance by Anne O’Leary; The Sniper by Michelle Coyne and To Memorise a Skylark by Niamh MacCabe.

The winner will be selected by a panel of judges including the authors Donal Ryan and Carmel Harrington and literary editor Madeleine Keane. First prize is €1,000 with €500 for the runner-up and €300 for third prize.

The shortlist for the 2017 festival’s One-Act Play Competition is as follows: Isherholz by Kay Philips; Pitchfork by Kelby Guilfoyle; One Solitary Line by Neil Walden and Chop by Nicola Cassidy. The four plays will be performed by Enniscorthy Drama Group on the opening night of the festival, Friday, May 19 at 8 pm in the Presentation Centre. All are welcome to attend and entry is free. The festival’s poetry prize has been renamed the Anthony Cronin International Poetry Award in honour of the Enniscorthy-born poet, novelist, biographer and critic who died last year. His wife Anne Haverty will attend the awards ceremony in the Athenaeum on Sunday, May 21 to make presenations to the winning poets. The weekend festival will feature an exciting line-up of events with authors and speakers including Sinead Moriarty, Bibi Baskin, Carmel Harrington, Alex Barclay, Shane Hegarty, Andrea Hayes and Shane Dunphy. Tickets are available online at www.wexfordliteraryfestival.com. The sponsors are Wexford County Council, Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Byrnes Bookstores, Baker Tilly Hughes Blake, Kinsella Fish and Zaiire Artisan Chocolates.