Writing.ie Short Story of the Year 2015

Many outstanding novelists have launched their careers with short stories, a form that has a special place in the Irish literary tradition. Anne Enright says that short stories are like cats “beautiful but a little self-contained.”  This year’s shortlist features six beautiful short stories for readers to enjoy.

Read all six short stories at writing.ie

WINNER:

A Slanting of the Sun by Donal Ryan

Donal Ryan is the author of two acclaimed novels, The Spinning Heart and The Thing About December. In 2012 The Spinning Heart won the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book of the Year and in 2013 it won the Guardian First Book Award. A Slanting of the Sun is his first short story collection.

Published in A Slanting of the Sun (Doubleday Ireland)

Photo: Anthony Woods

SHORTLIST:

The Journey to Galway Colm Tóibín

Colm Tóibín is one of Ireland’s most distinguished and most decorated writers. He has won the IMPAC and Costa Novel of the Year awards. He is the author of eight novels, two collections of short stories and many works of non-fiction. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages.

Published in The Irish Times & All Over Ireland (Faber & Faber)

Photo: Ger Holland

December Swimmers Paul Lenehan

Paul Lenehan has been writing short stories for twenty years. He was twice shortlisted for the Hennessy/Sunday Tribune short story award. His story December Swimmers was a winner in The Moth Short Story Prize in 2015.

Published in The Moth, Issue 22 Autumn 2015

What Time is it Now, Where You Are? Colum McCann

Colum McCann, originally from Dublin, is the author of five novels and three collections of stories. He has won numerous international literary awards including the IMPAC and The National Book Award.

Published in Thirteen Ways of Looking (Bloomsbury Publishing)

Photo: Dustin Aksland

monologue for cabman Kevin Barry

Kevin Barry is the author of the story collections Dark Lies The Island and There Are Little Kingdoms and the novels City Of Bohane and Beatlebone. His stories have appeared in The New Yorker, and many other journals and anthologies.

Published in The Stinging Fly, Issue 31 Volume Two, Summer 2015.

Photo: Conor O’Mahony

BOY, 19 John Boyne

John Boyne is the author of nine novels and four for younger readers. His novels have been published in 48 languages. In 2012, he was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award. John won the Short Story category last year for Rest Day.

Published in Beneath the Earth (Doubleday)