Kenmare | Arts Festival | 2025
3 to 17 August 2025

SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY 2025
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Mill Cove Gallery and The Kenmare Chronicle are delighted to announce the launch of the Kenmare Connected Anthology, showcasing the shortlisted entries from our inaugural Short Story Competition.
Inspired by the theme “Our Yesterdays, Today, and Tomorrows,” this year’s competition invited writers to explore the heart and soul of Kenmare—its rich past, vibrant present, and imagined futures.
We were truly moved by the depth, creativity, and passion in every submission.
We are pleased to share the list of authors below whose work will be featured in the Kenmare Connected Anthology 2025
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Anthology Launch Event
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Wednesday, 6 August 2025
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7:00 PM at The Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare
As part of the Kenmare Arts Festival 2025, the launch evening will feature selected readings from the anthology, the presentation of prizes, and a warm celebration of our local writing community.
The event will last just over an hour, and we’d love for you to join us.
Everyone is welcome. Whether or not your story was selected this year, we sincerely thank you for your submission and encourage you to keep writing and submit again next year.
We look forward to celebrating the magic of storytelling with you.
FIRST PRIZE The Secret to Soda Bread – Lynda Marron
SECOND PRIZE Houdini – Sadhbh Moriarty
THIRD PRIZE My First Holiday – Eamonn O’Leary
Bridget O’Brien 1957 – Maureen Glover
Chirping and Buzzing – Donal Fitzgerald
Down To Me – Neil Brosnan
Pieces – Sue O’Sullivan Casey
Regret – Mairéad Hearne
The Songs I Sing– Siobhán Flanagan
The Fair Day Flying Carpet – John Atkinson
The Fruitcake Chronicles (A Slice of Redemption) – John Goode
The Mountains are Calling– Grace Vaughan
The Queen’s Nose– Patrick Holloway
Time is Always and Now – Michael Cavanagh
A Retirement Story – John Kelly
And They Were Happy – Lily McIntyre
Going Home – Kate Durrant
Home at Last – Sean Dalton
My Pet Lamb (and my Mother, my Hero) – Kathleen Sheehan
My Neidín My Little Nest– Mary O’Connor
Pride and no Prejudice – Tessa Dennison
My Photographic Journey – Myfanwy Frost-Jones
A Kenmare Family Through Time – Bob Frewen
Not the Vicar’s Wife – Vera Shaw
The Past, Present and the Future – Donnchadh Mac Cárthaigh
The Queendom - Sheila Flanagan
Sráidbhaile Na Síoga | Fairy Village – Katie Murphy
The Reluctant Swimmer – Sue Ryan