Elizabeth Rose Murray

(This is a cross post with my On The Front Row blog on writing.ie)

The Cork International Short Festival certainly closed on a finale as Edna O’Brien scooped the Frank O’Connor Short Story Award, worth 35,000 euro – a well deserved and impressive result from a prolific and much admired writer. Edna’s acceptance speech was just perfect:

“I don’t have an acceptance speech because I didn’t expect to win.”

Still, Edna managed to address the audience humbly, gratefully and with oodles of elegance…

“I know writing is often more about madness than ambition, but I think writing is also my fortress, and this prize will help me defend it a little longer. It will help me get on with the writing I want to do.”

That’s great news for us as readers.

Yet, for me, it wasn’t just this grand finale that resonated. Yes, this is the biggest award and longest-running short story festival in the world; but it’s also one of the most honest and dedicated.

Firstly, The Cork International Short Festival is committed to excellence. And this shines through in every area; the list of “staggering talent” (Siobhan Fallon) of writers in attendance, the array of events on offer, the surroundings and the smooth organisation which makes sure everyone is well looked after.

Canadian writer, Michael Christie, described the festival as “forward-thinking” and I certainly agree. It continues to champion the short story, one of the most underrated forms of literature today, celebrating both established and up-and-coming writers in their writing career.

Unsurprisingly, the festival was well supported by other writers…I spied Gerry Murphy, Leanne O’Sullivan and Adam Wyeth, amongst others, in the crowd; testimony that Cork literary festivals are creating a supportive writing network which is keen to help others along the way & give literary talent the attention it deserves.

For me, writing the official blog was a real joy; I was introduced to some writers I may never have come across otherwise (I’d highly recommend Canadian writer Deborah Willis), I interviewed some amazing people (such as Peter Murphy and Suzanne Rivecca) and reported from great events. From the organisers who had enough savvy to want a blog in the first place, to the writers who were more than willing to contribute; the whole experience was brilliant.

The blog received excellent feedback – and, more importantly, allowed people who couldn’t make the festival, or some of the events, the chance to find out what they’d missed. And after all, reaching that extra bit of audience, making literature even more accessible, is what it’s all about.

So, if you didn’t get chance to catch up on events, you can go to the official Cork International Short Story festival blog for a read. But, whatever you do, make sure you add next year’s festival to your diary.