Flash Fiction Competition for Letterkenny’s Literary Festival

Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter’s Donnan Harvey has this week confirmed its Literary Festival is up and running and that he’s delighted to announce that its 2024 Flash Fiction Competition for Letterkenny’s Literary Festival is now open for entries.  

According to the Committee secretary five shortlisted writers will be invited to read their entries at the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival, October 17-20, and the winners will be announced at the event.

Speaking earlier this week Donnan said the competition has become a very popular annual event, and the interest from across the country was something they wanted to acknowledge publicly,

He stated: “It really is growing year on year. It’s an ideal forum for writers and creative folks to get their work out there.”

He then outlined details of the event: “The competition will be judged by Averil Meehan. Averil writes flash fiction, poetry, and radio drama. Her collection of poetry, Until Stones Blossom, is published by Summer Palace Press. Averil’s writing has won and/or been placed in various creative writing competitions, read at festivals and events, and broadcast on RTE Radio 1.”

The full guidelines for work submitted are available on the Cathedral Quarter’s website page but the main ones to keep in mind are that the work must not exceed 300 words, be the author’s own and previously unpublished, copyright remains with the author and that entry to the competition implies acceptance of the rules.

 Without the support of the local community it would be impossible to stage such event so the Festival wishes to thank Bookmark, Letterkenny and Donegal ETB for sponsoring the main prizes. The winner will receive €150 and runner-up €100. Three highly commended prizes will be book vouchers from Himalayan Cafe, Peter Mark Hairdressing Letterkenny and Universal Books

The Flash Fiction competition will also feature in a new podcast exploring the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Literary Festival. In a new departure for the festival, "Ink and Inspiration Podcast" is being produced in collaboration with Philip O'Kennedy. 

So, final word to Donnan to all prospective entrants: “Please submit your entry as a Word document by email to lkcqfest@gmail.com by the closing date of September 1. The results will be announced by the end of September. And good luck to you with your work.”