Welcome to the Munster

Literature Centre

Founded in 1993, the Munster Literature Centre (Ionad Litríochta an Deiscirt) is a non-profit arts organisation dedicated to the promotion and celebration of literature, especially that of Munster. To this end, we organise festivals, workshops, readings and competitions. Our publishing section, Southword Editions, publishes a biannual journal, poetry collections and short stories. We actively seek to support new and emerging writers and are assisted in our efforts through funding from Cork City Council, Cork County Council and the Arts Council of Ireland.

Originally located in Sullivan's Quay, the centre moved to its current premises in the Frank O'Connor House (the author's birthplace) at 84 Douglas Street, in 2003.

In 2000, the Munster Literature Centre organised the first Frank O'Connor International Short Story Festival, an event dedicated to the celebration of the short story and named for one of Cork's most beloved authors. The festival showcases readings, literary forums and workshops. Following continued growth and additional funding, the Cork City - Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award was introduced in 2005, coinciding with Cork's designation as that year's European Capital of Culture. The award is now recognised as the single biggest prize for a short story collection in the world and is presented at the end of the festival.

In 2002, the Munster Literature Centre introduced the Seán Ó Faoláin Short Story Prize, an annual short story competition dedicated to one of Ireland's most accomplished story writers and theorists. This too is presented during the FOC festival. The centre also hosts the Cork Spring Literary Festival each year.

Workshops are held by featured authors in both autumn and spring, allowing the general public to receive creative guidance in an intimate setting for a minimal fee. In addition, the centre sponsors a Writer in Residence each year.

We invite you to browse our website for further information regarding our events, Munster literature, and other literary information. Should you have any queries, we would be happy to hear from you.

TRANSLATIONS

Click on each cover for a blurb, reviews, author biographies and sample poems. Paypal links on individual pages.

A Boat to Heaven
Southword Editions, 2010.
Poems by Zhao Lihong. Translated from Chinese by Xu Qin.

Pocket Apocalypse
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Katarzyna Borun-Jagodzinska. Translated from Polish by Gerry Murphy.

Selected Poems
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Kyriakos Charalambides. Translated from Greek by Greg Delanty.

A Visit to the Clockmaker
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Kristin Dimitrova. Translated from Bulgarian by Gregory O'Donoghue.

Moose Beetle Swallow
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Andres Ehin. Translated from Estonian by Patrick Cotter.

Flying Blind
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Guntars Godiņš. Translated from Latvian by Eugene O'Connell.

Richesses: Francophone Songwriter Poets
Southword Editions, 2008. Hardback.
Edited and translated by Aidan Hayes.

A Stay in a Sanatorium
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Zbyněk Hejda. Translated from Czech by Bernard O'Donoghue.

Songs of Earth and Light
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Barbara Korun. Translated from Slovene by Theo Dorgan.

The Belling
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by László Lator. Translated from Hungarian by Divers Hands.

After the Raising of Lazarus
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Ileana Mălăncioiu. Translated from Romanian by Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin.

Confidential Reports
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Immanuel Mifsud. Translated from Maltese by Maurice Riordan.

The Towers Turn Red
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Sigitas Parulskis. Translated from Lithuanian by Liz O'Donoghue.

Fourty Four
Southword Editions, 2005.
Poems by Dana Podracká. Translated from Slovak by Robert Welch.

BACK TO TOP

Cork Spring
Poetry Festival

15 - 18 February 2012

Read Southword Journal

Issue 21 now online!

Poetry International.org

MLC produces the Irish section of this prestigious poetry site.
Current poets: Caitríona Ní Chléirchín, Greg Delanty,
Katie Donovan, & Michael O'Loughlin.
www.poetryinternational.org

The Gregory O'Donoghue
International
Poetry Competition

Now closed. Thanks to
everyone who
entered!

Best Irish Poetry in English 2010

Visit our bookstore here.

Festivals

The Munster Literature Centre hosts two annual festivals. The larger Cork City - Frank O'Connor International Short Story Festival takes place each September, while the Cork Spring Literary Festival, with varying themes, is presented each spring. Further information is available on our drop down menus.

MLC Workshops

Workshops run in spring & autumn. Check back in October 2011 for more details!

Munster Literature Centre

Create your badge

Frank O'Connor House, 84 Douglas Street, Cork, Ireland.

Tel. (353) 021 4312955, Email: munsterlit(AT)eircom(DOT)net