A story of mine appeared in the New Irish Writing Page of the Tribune newspaper in 2009 and was shortlisted for the Hennessy Awards. Being nominated encouraged me to keep writing, (and I really needed the encouragement at that point.) It was my second story to be published, (my first was in Crannog) and it was called Steps Of Stairs. In 2011, I was nominated again, and won overall New Irish Writer of the Year. It has had a huge postive impact on my writing life.
The Hennesssy Anthology 2005 - 2015 was launched last week, it features a selection of twenty-five stories shortlisted for the Hennessy Awards over the past decade. The third in a series, the Hennessy anthologies are edited once a decade by Dermot Bolger and Ciaran Carty. I'm delighted to have my story included in it. The other contributers are Sara Baume, Alan Jude Moore, Jennifer Farrell, Thomas Martin, John Murphy, Michael O’Higgins, Nicola Jennings, Colm Keegan, Selina Guinness, Kevin Power, John O’Donnell, Oona Frawley, Eileen Casey, Kevin Doyle, Andrew Fox, Pat O’Connor, Maire T. Robinson, Monica Corish, Carmel McMahon, Brendan McLoughlin, Sean Kenny, Chris Connolly, Elizabeth Brennan, Sean Coffey.
‘(These) are often the first stories, or the newly struck note, of a voice that will go to new horizons. Just being shortlisted for the award gives a needle-shot of confidence and a sense of breadth early in a writer’s career.’
Colum McCann
The Hennessy Anthology 2005 - 2015 can be ordered HERE. An ARENA interview from April 2nd with myself and Dermot Bolger can be listened to HERE.
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