Conal Creedon

MUNSTER LITERATURE CENTRE
IONAD LITRÍOCHTA an DEISCIRT

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Literature Centre

Founded in 1993, the Munster Literature Centre (Ionad Litríochta an Deiscirt) 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, at which the Gregory O'Donoghue International Poetry Prize is awarded (established 2010).

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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CONAL CREEDON

Cónal Creedon

Cónal Creedon is a short story writer, novelist, playwright, and documentary maker.

His stage plays include The Trial Of Jesus [2000], produced as part of the Irish National Millennium Celebrations [awarded two National Business2Arts Awards and nominated for The Irish Times Theatre Awards], Glory Be To The Father [2002], Second City Trilogy [2005] [A trilogy of stage plays, commissioned by Cork 2005]. Creedon’s play, When I Was God, was produced at the 1st Irish Festival New York [2008]. In 2009, two of his plays, When I Was God and After Luke were produced by the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York to critical acclaim, and were nominated for New York Theatre Awards: Best Director, Best Production, Best Design, Best Actor. The production received the Best Director Award.

Cónal has written over sixty hours of radio drama, his work has been broadcast on RTE, BBC radio4 and BBC World Service. His radio drama, Under The Goldie Fish, featured in the Irish Times Radio Critics, best of year radio programming list for 1996 & 1998. Creedon’s radio drama represented Ireland in the World Play International Radio Drama Festival, his work has been broadcast by radio stations in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA.

Creedon’s published books include Pancho and Lefty Ride Out [1995 Collins Press - a collection of short stories], Second City Trilogy [2007 - Irish Town Press - A trilogy of plays] and Passion Play [1999 Poolbeg Press - a novel]. His prize winning short stories achieved recognition in the Francis MacManus Awards, Life Extra Awards and George A. Birmingham Awards.

Cónal has worked as a radio presenter with RTE, a columnist with The Irish Times and has produced and directed a number of critically acclaimed documentary film including, The Burning of Cork [2005 - Paradox Pictures], Why The Guns Remained Silent In Rebel Cork [2006 – Seaview Films], If It’s Spiced Beef [2007 - RTE], The Boys Of Fairhill [2007 - RTE] and Flynnie, The Man Who Walked Like Shakespeare, [2008 - RTE - Nominated for the Focal International Documentary Awards London [2009]

Pancho & Lefty Passion Play