For any young writer seeking to develop his or her talent, getting into print is arguably the most difficult hurdle to cross. There are lots of people out there who have the ability to write well but remain undiscovered through lack of opportunity. The Hennessy New Irish Writing Awards, run in association with The Sunday Tribune, is an attempt to assist emerging talent past that first barrier, giving writers the chance to appear in print and to get noticed.

Since their inception, the awards have become a cornerstone from which many leading Irish writers and poets have launched their careers. Past winners include Dermot Bolger, Joe O’Connor, Colum McCann, Hugo Hamilton and Patrick McCabe. Over the years, the judges have included Roddy Doyle, Fay Weldon, Neil Jordan, Molly Keane, Elizabeth Bowen, Brian Friel and Clare Boylan, lending the event the credibility associated with these individual writers status and calibre.

1998 is the 28th Year of the Awards, making them the longest-running awards of their kind. Over nearly three decades, Hennessy Literary Awards have provided a focus for thousands of writers and real encouragement for hundreds, becoming a valuable and respected part of the Irish literary landscape.

The Awards were established in 1970 by the late Nigel Beamish of Edward Dillon and Company, who were joint sponsors until 1988.The competition was initiated by David Marcus, the then literary Editor of the Irish Press. At the time the Irish Press had a New Irish Writing Page, and it was felt that the standard of work submitted should be recognised. Conceived initially as a once-off competition, the response to it was so positive that the event became an annual one, built-on and improved each year. In 1989, the Irish Press went from broadsheet to tabloid and the editorial mandarins decided that the new format of the paper did not suit the New Irish Writing page and the feature was dropped. Subsequently, the sponsorship moved to the Sunday Tribune.

The objective of the Hennessy Literary Awards is to give unknown writers an opportunity to be published, in the hope that it might launch them on a successful career path. This objective is consistently achieved each year with up to 18 writers’ and poets’ work being published in the Sunday Tribune throughout the competition’s duration. It is estimated that 60% of the Hennessy Literary Award winners have achieved further literary success.

The most notable winner to date is Joe O’Connor, who before his Hennessy Literary Award win in 1989, was struggling to make a name for himself. He has since praised the awards for helping unknown writers to become established: “It’s designed to encourage the writer who is just starting out rather than to reward the established writer who really doesn’t need the recognition, the kudos or the money,” he said. “Most importantly it’s the encouraging clap on the back that winning a Hennessy Award provides, the simple statement of confidence which implies that you are not totally wasting your time trying to write.”

Following his win, Joe went on to achieve outstanding literary success with novels such as Cowboys and Indians, and Desperadoes and his best-selling work, The Secret World Of The Irish Male.

What’s On Offer In Prizes

The Hennessy Literary Awards are based on an evaluation of work published in the New Irish Writing page of the Sunday Tribune over the previous 12 months. The final decisions are made by two independent celebrity judges, under the chairmanship of Ciaran Carty, Arts Editor of the Sunday Tribune. Initially a short-list of 20 finalists is selected and the winners are announced in October of each year, in the following three categories: Best Poetry by an Emerging Writer; Best Short Story by a New Irish Writer; Best Short Story by an Emerging Writer.

The winners of these three categories are then considered for the title of Overall Winner. The 20 finalists each receive a specially commissioned Hennessy Literary Awards scroll as an acknowledgement of their achievement. Those who go on to win the awards receive the following prizes:

1. Best Poetry by an Emerging Writer: £1,000 and a specially commissioned silver-plated Hennessy Cognac trophy.

2. Best Short Story by a New Irish Writer: £1,000 and a specially commissioned silver-plated Hennessy Cognac trophy.

3. Best Short Story by an Emerging Writer: £1,000 and a specially commissioned silver-plated Hennessy Cognac trophy.

4. Overall Winner: An additional £1,000 and a specially commissioned gold plated Hennessy Cognac trophy.

The Overall Winner in 1997 was Micheál O Conghaile from Inis Treabhair, who also won the Emerging Fiction category. The Poetry category was won by Aidan Rooney-Cespedes, from Monaghan, now living in the US. The First Fiction winner was Rosita Boland, from Clare, now working as freelance journalist with the Irish Times. Judges last year included Roddy Doyle and Patrick Gale, while the Chairman of the judging panel is Ciaran Carty.

A Week Is A Good Time In Literature!

Since its inception in 1970, Listowel Writers’ Week has become recognised as one of the primary events in Ireland’s literary calendar. In that time many of the most eminent Irish and international literary figures have gathered in Listowel at the annual event, to ruminate on and celebrate the work of new and established writers alike. Participants have included Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, Booker Prize winners Kazuo Ishigura and Roddy Doyle, Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, Lawrence Block, Blake Morrison, Chris Whyte, award-winning playwrights Tom Murphy, Brian Friel, Frank McGuinness and Hugh Leonard and acclaimed novelists Colm Tóibín, Jennifer Johnston, John McGahern, Joseph O’Connor and Edna O’Brien. And that’s just for starters.

Under the leadership of its president Dr John B. Keane, together with literary adviser Professor Brendan Kennelly, Writers Week provides a wide-ranging programme of literary and assorted cultural events, including lectures, readings, workshops, book launches, seminars, theatre, literary and historical tours, art exhibitions, music and dance events. In recent years, Writers Week has become an international event, welcoming writers from the pan-European tradition, in order to enhance our appreciation of diverse cultures.

Competitions have also been introduced over the years, together with a series of literary awards, which have given valuable recognition to new writers over the last 26 years.

This year sees a new development in this regard, with the publication of the work of the current winning writers for the first time – it’s a tasty collection that includes excerpts from John Banville’s The Untouchables and Bernard McLaverty’s Grace Notes, as well as some fine and funny work from students, from national school upwards. The whole Listowel event takes place in a unique atmosphere of learning and celebration, which gives new and established writers an opportunity to discuss their work before a national and international audience.