Southword Literary Essay Competition

Judge: Patrick Cotter

1st Prize:
€1,000

8 Runners-Up:
€500

All nine essays will be published over the course of 18 months (next three issues of Southword)

The competition is open to original, unpublished, personal essays between 2500 ‒ 5000 words. We’re looking for personal, confessional essays which border on memoir ‒ gripping essays full of memories and feelings. The best indicator of the kind of thing which interests us is what we have published in past issues; essays by Kim Addonizio, Sandra Beasley, Simon Van Booy, Carlo Geblér, Thomas Lynch, Anthony Walton, Helen Mort and Kim Moore.

Essays will be judged anonymously by editor Patrick Cotter

There is an entry fee of €20

Competition open: 1st December 2021

Deadline: 28th February 2023

All entries must be emailed to essaycomp@munsterlit.ie

The link below will bring you to a payment screen for the €20 fee