Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellowship

The fellowship is made possible through the very generous sponsorship of Cork City Council. The fellowship follows on from the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and further demonstrates the commitment of the Munster Literature Centre and Cork City Council to the short story community. Named for one of Cork’s most renowned writers, it acknowledges the special place the short story form occupies in the cultural history and contemporary practice of the city.

Applications for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellowship are indefinitely suspended.

Benefits of the fellowship

The fellow benefits from the prestige of receiving a highly competitive international literary award which will not only allow the candidate to spend time concentrating on their own work, but also to acquire more experience in the delivery of workshops and mentorships. The successful fellow also receives a monthly stipend during their stay (September, October, November).

2024 Fellow

Camilla Grudova lives in Edinburgh. Her critically acclaimed debut collection, The Doll’s Alphabet, was published in 2017. Her first novel, Children of Paradise, was longlisted for the Women’s Prize. Her most recent book is a second collection, The Coiled Serpent, longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize 2024. In 2023 she was named one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists, a once-in-a-decade accolade.

Mentorships

Apply for Fiction Mentorships Bursaries with Frank O’Connor Fellow Camilla Grudova.

Canadian author Camilla Grudova is the 2024 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellow. The fellowship is very kindly funded by Cork City Council and is an initiative of the Munster Literature Centre. There is the opportunity for four Munster fiction writers to be mentored by Camilla, tuition fees covered, between September and November of this year. Each author will benefit from four weekly two-hour contact sessions with Camilla. To qualify you must be a writer resident in Munster, Ireland. You must have had at least one short story published in a reputable literary journal. The mentorship is also open to authors with books already published who believe they can benefit from this opportunity.

 Applicants should submit a single Word document divided into the following subheadings:

• A letter outlining where you are currently with your writing and how you hope to benefit from a mentorship with Camilla Grudova. (maximum 500 words)
• Your literary resume (listing your publications/workshops attended/prizes/public readings etc.)    
• Sample/samples of your own writing not exceeding 6000 words in total.

  The successful applicants will be chosen by Camilla Grudova. Previous recipients of a mentorship with a Frank O’Connor Fellow are ineligible to apply.

Deadline for applications is August 15th 2024. Successful candidates must pay a deposit of €100, refundable upon completion of the mentorship and submission of 200 word report.

Previous Fellows

Alexander MacLeod
2023 Frank O’Connor Fellow

Tina Pisco
2021 Frank O’Connor Fellow

Alannah Hopkin
2020 Frank O’Connor Fellow

Sara Maitland
2019 Frank O’Connor Fellow

Carys Davies
2018 Frank O’Connor Fellow

Marie-Helene Bertino
2017 Frank O’Connor Fellow

Zsuzsi Gartner
2016 Frank O’Connor Fellow