NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
The timing couldn’t be better! With the Isle of Man going through its annual ‘Arty’ phase with Literary and Film festivals to the fore comes news of a challenge for budding authors that has a Celtic connection (see below).
Celtic Mythology Short Story Competition
A short story competition will be launched today (10th September) in what is being publicised as the first of its kind.
The Celtic Mythology Short Story Competition will accept entries until 10th December and is being launched by Irish Imbas Books. The organisers are looking for short stories based on (or derived from) Celtic mythology from the Celtic diaspora all over the world.
The stories need to adhere to the following criteria:
Celtic mythology or folklore forms a fundamental element of the story.
Any Celtic folklore or mythological reference used in the story should be as authentic as possible.
The story should have a compelling theme with engaging characters.
Prizes for the competition include:
First Prize
$500 and story published in Irish Imbas Celtic Mythology Collection
Second Prize
$250 and story published in Irish Imbas Celtic Mythology Collection
Third Prize
$100 and story published in Irish Imbas Celtic Mythology Collection
The top winning entrants will be published in a compilation to be released in 2016.
Irishman Brian O’Sullivan is Director of Irish Imbas Books, but is a resident of New Zealand.
A keen reader of Carn magazine, an article about the publisher will feature in Carn No. 163 and his experience of being an Irishman living in New Zealand and linked, by marriage, to the Maori people. Mr O’Sullivan said:
“this competition offers a rare opportunity for contemporary writers of the Celtic diaspora to yank our stories back out from the shadows of children’s literature. There’ve actually been relatively few Irish, Scottish or Welsh writers who’ve produced or published stories based specifically on their own cultural heritage. That’s a bit of a shame given the rich body of knowledge and inspiration available.”
O’Sullivan believes that this situation was probably due to the lingering effects of colonization. “In a society which was dominated by the infrastructure of a different culture, Celtic-based beliefs and customs were pretty much ridiculed. As a result, for the last two hundred years or so, Celtic stories were relegated to the status of children’s stories or fantasy where they still remain today.”
Full details, including rules and conditions, can be found at the Irish Imbas Books
Website at: https://irishimbasbooks.com/
Despite my opening references to the Isle of Man this competition is as indicated open to all comers from the Celtic countries and beyond.
It’s great to see an initiative of this kind and who knows it could lead to bigger things.
Many years ago the (London) branch organised Scrif-Celt for a number of years an Inter-Celtic book fair. Now reviving that is an idea one of the Celtic countries could usefully seize on!
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
10/09/15
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The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
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