Welcome to the Munster

Literature Centre

Founded in 1993, the Munster Literature Centre (Tigh Litríochta) 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.

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LATEST NEWS

Writing Workshops--Spring 2010

Fiction with Vincent McDonnell begins 15.03.10

Poetry with James Harpur begins 24.03.10

Only €120/€100 conc. for 6 weeks!

Click on the poster for more information.

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The Gregory O'Donoghue Poetry Prize Winners

First Prize: John F. Deane

'Shoemaker'

Second Prize: Siobhan Campbell

'Clew Bay from the Reek'

Third Prize: Patrick Deeley

'Geezer'

The result was announced at the Spring Literary Festival on Wednesday, 17 February at 7.30PM in the Metropole Hotel. A video of John F. Deane's reading will be posted in the next issue of Southword Journal Online.

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Best Irish Poetry 2010 reviewed in RTÉ radio's Arena.

Click here to listen!

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Spring 2010 Workshops

Workshops in poetry and fiction will be starting mid-March at greatly reduced fees. The leaders include published poet and fiction writers. Banish those wintry thoughts and get writing for inspiration! Click on the poster for more information.

Read Southword Journal Online

Supplement 17A coming soon!

Spring Literary Festival

17 February - 20 February

Best Irish Poetry in English 2010

Visit our bookstore here.

Poetry International.org

The Munster Literature Centre produces the Irish section of this prestigious poetry site. Current featured poets are Martina Evans and Pat Boran. For further information, please visit the site at www.poetryinternational.org.

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.

Munster Literature Centre

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

Tel. (353) 021 4312955 Email munsterlit@eircom.net