THE Clare Champion Short Story Competition 2014 has just been launched. Open to second-level pupils, the competition has gone from strength to strength over the past eight years, with a record number of 270 entries received last year.
The stories can be on any subject and should be approximately 1,000 to 1,500 words long. There are two entry categories for the competition, Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate, but entries are open to those from first year to sixth year.
The first prize in each category is €300, second prize is €200 and third prize is €100. There are also awards for those highly commended and all those shortlisted will have their stories published in The Clare Champion.
The competition aims to recognise the talents of young writers across its readership, which not only encompasses County Clare but extends into South Galway.
Clare Champion editor, Austin Hobbs said, “Practically every school in the county has had a student on the winners’ list, which is reflective of the support each school has given the event. The competition is certainly The Clare Champion’s way of providing a forum for young people to express themselves, not only in language terms but also in terms of their individual interests.”
He said each year the entries cover a wide range of topics, from music to drama or sport. Indeed, following a very successful 2013 in sport, he expects to see a range of entries drawing on these various achievements.
“I have no doubt there will be entries that will be influences by major sporting events, including the All-Ireland hurling win and Sean Hehir’s Dublin marathon win, among many other achievements. In addition, each year there are entries exploring the wealth of musical talents in the county, as well as local interests and popular culture,” Mr Hobbs concluded.
The closing date for entries is Friday, February 21, 2014. All entries must be typed and must include the applicant’s name, age, telephone number, school, their year, and their English teacher’s name, to authenticate the entry.
Applicants should send their short stories to Second Level School’s Short Story Competition, Leaving Certificate/Junior Certificate category, The Clare Champion, Barrack Street, Ennis.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.