A wordy prize winner for short story

Business Post/Penguin gong for writer

Ríona Judge-McCormack picked up €2,000 prize Picture: Fergal Phillips

The second annual Sunday Business Post/Penguin Ireland Short Story prize has been awarded to 34-year-old Skerries woman Ríona Judge-McCormack for her story, No 3 Western Deep.

Judge-McCormack, whose story was selected from over 700 submissions received her award of €2,000 at a reception held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin last Tuesday.

“I’m just thrilled to have a story of mine selected for this prize,” she said, “and to have the opportunity to be published with The Sunday Business Post. Recognition like this is hugely valuable, because writers can face so much rejection when starting out. The prize has definitely encouraged me to keep writing, and I hope the same is true for everyone on the shortlist.”

Judge-Cormack, whose grandfather was the renowned playwright and dramatist Michael Judge, was raised in Dublin and today lives in Johannesburg. Her story, entitled No 3 Western Deep, is narrated by the wife of a miner in South Africa.

Last year, Judge-McCormack’s story Some Strange Moon saw her claim the Hennessy New Irish Writer Award. A graduate of Dublin City University, Judge-McCormack has spent nine years working in international development. She is soon to release her first novel.

First runner up David O’Neill, a school teacher, received a €500 prize for his story Next Time. Second runner up Anthony McGuinness accepted a €250 award for his story Green Goddess, while a third runner up award was presented to Fionn Murray for his satirical essay, Voluntary Redundancy. All four stories appear in this week’s edition of The Sunday Business Post Magazine and online on businesspost.ie.

Siobhan Lennon, chief executive of The Sunday Business Post, said: “It is very heartening to note the huge response to this, our second annual prize. We are very pleased to provide a platform for emerging Irish creative talent and to reinforce the power of the printed word.

“This prize is one of the highlights of the year at The Sunday Business Post, and I am delighted to see its development.”

Brendan Barrington of Penguin Ireland, who was a judge, said: “Our winning story comes from a very exciting new voice in Irish fiction. In the space of just over 2,000 words, her story conjures an entire world and narrates a dramatic sequence of events.

“There is great skill in this, and in its beautifully constructed sentences.”

Sunday Business Post Magazine editor, and fellow competition judge, Elaine Prendeville described the adjudication process. “We spent several months considering over 700 entries, poring over each submission with great care, and emerging hugely impressed with the calibre of this year’s entries.

“We very much look forward to maintaining contact with our shortlisted writers, and happily anticipate the further success certain to be realised by our winner, Ríona Judge-McCormack.”

See The Magazine to read this year's prize-winning stories