Kate O’Brien Award shortlist announced
The shortlist for the Limerick Literary Festival’s Kate O’Brien Award has been announced.
Established in 2015, the award is given to the best debut novel or short story collection by an Irish woman writer published in 2021. The winner, who will receive a €2000 cash prize, will be announced at the Limerick Literary Festival on February 27th.
This year’s nominees are Dinner Party by Sarah Gilmartin, The End of the World is a Cul De Sac by Louise Kennedy, Mother Mother by Annie Macmanus, A Crooked Tree by Una Mannion, Holding Her Breath by Eimear Ryan and Boys Don’t Cry by Fíona Scarlett.
The judges were Marie Hackett, Eileen O’Connor, Vivienne McKechnie, Donal Ryan, Sarah Moore Fitzgerald and Niall MacMonagle. Previous winners include Anyush by Martine Madden (2015), Harvesting by Lisa Harding (2018) and As You Were by Elaine Feeney (2021).
The Limerick Literary Festival is one of Ireland’s most vibrant and successful festivals which has been running since 1984. In a diverse and eclectic programme, it showcases the best in Irish and international contemporary literature. The event continues to honour the life and works of the Limerick author, while attracting prominent participants from all over the world.
