RTÉ short story competition open for entries

The RTÉ Short Story Competition is now open for entries.

The competition was set up in 1986 to honour writer and broadcaster Francis MacManus.  

One of Ireland's longest established and most significant literary prizes which recognises and rewards the best new Irish fiction writing for radio, the RTÉ Short Story Competition presents the winning author with a cheque for €5,000, while the second and third placed writers will receive cheques for €4,000 and €3,000 respectively. A further seven runners-up will receive €250 each. 

Writers over the age of 18 living in Ireland, and Irish writers around the world have until Friday 10th May 2024 to submit their short story to the competition here. 

This year’s entries will be judged by a panel featuring Neil Hegarty who joins returning judges and authors Kathleen MacMahon and Claire Kilroy. Claire’s latest novel, Soldier Sailor has just been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction Prize.  

Commenting on judging this year’s competition, Claire Kilroy said: “I was delighted to be asked back to judge this year as it was such an interesting and collegial experience last year. Bottom line: writers like talking about writing. We veered from unanimity to dissent and back again, as we worked through the stories. It was a thorough and satisfying process.”  

At a special RTÉ Arena live programme with Seán Rocks in the autumn and all 10 shortlisted stories will be published on RTE and broadcast in a season of new writing on RTÉ Radio 1.  

The RTÉ Short Story Competition has been championing 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, Stephen Walsh and Sarah Gilmartin.