The first prize winner of the 2026 Seán Ó Faoláin International Short Story Competition, Martin Jackson, will read his winning story on 17th October at the Cork International Short Story Festival. The first prize, second prize, and shortlisted stories will be published in issue 52 of Southword (summer 2027). Louise Hegarty was the judge and read over 900 stories submitted for this competition.
First Prize
26 possible peanuts by Martin Jackson
London, england
Martin Jackson is a writer of fiction, poetry, and art texts. Fiction has appeared in Tolka, Hotel, Minor Literature[s], The London Magazine. His poetry received an Eric Gregory Award. He collaborates with artists and galleries around the world on exhibition and catalogue texts. martin-jackson.com. Photo credit: Anastasia Muna.
Second Prize
Dogson by Micheál Ó Conghaile
Galway, Ireland
Micheál Ó Conghaile was born in 1962 in Connemara. He established the publishing company Cló Iar-Chonnacht in 1985. A prolific and talented writer, he has published four collections of short stories in the Irish language and was awarded the Hennessy Literary Award in 1997. His short stories have been translated into ten languages. The Colours of Man is a selection of his stories in English. He is a member of Aos Dána. Photo credit: Sutas Jermtong.
Shortlist
Jeremy by Graham Buchan
London, england
Graham Buchan is an Anglo-Scot living in London. He has published five books of poetry (The Tall Lighthouse and Lapwing Publications), short fiction and flash fiction in a range of prestigious outlets, and very many reviews of art, film, theatre and literature. He graduated as a Chemical Engineer and worked freelance in film, TV and video.
An Infidelity by Michael Gilligan
Sligo, Ireland
Michael Gilligan is originally from Sligo. He is a medical doctor specialising in neurology. His short stories have previously appeared in All Over Ireland: New Irish Short Stories and the ‘New Irish Writing’ segment of the Irish Independent. He is working on a novel and a collection of short stories.
My Boy Lollipop by Caroline Hunt
bristol, england
Caroline Hunt trained as an actor at LAMDA. Her work included RSC and RNT, The Abbey Theatre Dublin, and a spell in The Archers. Later she became a script reader for the RSC, The Abbey and the Arts Council. She has since gone on to direct plays for the Bristol Old Vic, the Tobacco Factory, Theatre 503, the BAC, the RSC Swan Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath, The Soho Theatre, and Royal Haymarket Theatre. Recently she started writing short stories, and appeared in the film The Salt Path.
The Only Inconvenience by Katherine Shyngareva
Belarus / England
Katherine Shyngareva is an aspiring author, originally from Minsk, drawn to travel, photography, and finding weird, off-the-map places. Her short stories explore illness, death, and memory. Her work blends transgressive, clinical detail with dark humour and minimalist dialogue in the tradition of Palahniuk and Carver.