Francis MacManus


Francis MacManus was an Irish novelist and broadcaster.

Life and writings

Born in Kilkenny, MacManus was educated in the local Christian Brothers school and later at St. Patrick's College, Dublin and University College Dublin. After teaching for eighteen years at the Synge Street CBS in Dublin, MacManus joined the staff of Radio Éireann in 1948 as Director of Features.
MacManus began writing while still teaching and first published a trilogy set in Penal times and concerning the life of Donnchadh Ruadh Mac Conmara, an author of Irish poetry in the Irish-language. The trilogy comprises the novels Stand and Give Challenge, Candle for the Proud and Men Withering.
A second trilogy followed which turned its attention to contemporary Ireland: This House Was Mine, Flow On, Lovely River, and Watergate. The location was the fictional "Dombridge", based on Kilkenny, and deal with established themes of Irish rural life: obsessions with land, sexual frustration, and the trials of emigration and return. Other major works include the novel The Greatest of These, concerning religious conflict in nineteenth-century Kilkenny, and the biographies Boccaccio and Saint Columban. In his last two novels, MacManus descended into the depths of theological debate: The Fire in the Dust was followed by American Son, a remarkable dialogue between conflicting modes of belief which reveals the strong influence of Roman Catholicism on the author.
MacManus died in Dublin 27 November 1965 at the age of 56, from a heart attack.
The RTÉ Francis MacManus Short Story Award was established in his memory in 1985.

Short story collection

  • ''Pedlar's Pack''

Novels

Stand and Give Challenge Candle for the Proud This House was Mine Men Withering The Wild Garden Flow on, Lovely River Watergate The Greatest of These Statue for a Square The Fire in the Dust
  • ''American Son''

Non-Fiction

Boccaccio, biography.Seal Ag Ródaíocht/On the Road for a Time, travel essays.St Columban, biography.The Years of the Great Test, history.

The RTÉ Short Story Award in Honour of Francis MacManus

Set up in 1986 to honour writer and broadcaster Francis MacManus, the RTÉ Short Story Competition recognises and rewards the best new Irish fiction writing for radio.
Since its inception, the competition has been a critically important launch pad for new and emerging writers in Ireland. The competition is free to enter and attracts thousands of entries every year.
The total prize fund is €13,750 with the winner receiving an award of €5,000. The second and third placed writers receive €4,000 and €3,000 respectively. A further seven runners-up receive €250 each.
A shortlist of ten stories is released in September, and the top prize-winners are announced on a RTÉ Arena special programme on RTÉ Radio 1 later.
All 10 shortlisted stories are published on the RTÉ Culture website and broadcast in a season of new writing on RTÉ Radio 1.
Each of the 10 short-listed stories is read and recorded by professional actors. The judges listen to these recordings and read the stories to consider their broadcasting and short story qualities before they select the winning entries.
According to the entry form, "Over the past 25 years the competition has proved to be a launching pad for several new and emerging Irish writers and continues to offer a platform for the best of contemporary Irish fiction." Since 1985 over 500 stories from the competition have been broadcast. Among the names who have featured and who have gone on to win acclaim in Ireland and internationally are Cónal Creedon, Claire Keegan, Molly McCloskey, Anthony Glavin, Mary O'Donnell and Ivy Bannister.
The panel of three judges for the 2012 competition is: Brendan Barrington, a Senior Editor at Penguin Ireland and editor of The Dublin Review; John MacKenna, author, and winner of the Irish Times, Hennessy and Cecil Day-Lewis awards as well as a Jacob's Award for his radio documentaries on Leonard Cohen; and Éilís Ní Dhuibhne, novelist and short-story writer. Past judges include novelists, Joseph O'Connor and Anne Enright. The competition is organised by veteran RTÉ producer, Seamus Hosey.

Past Winners of the RTÉ Radio 1 Francis MacManus Short Story Award

  • 1993
Winner: "After the Ball" by Cónal Creedon
  • 1999
Winner: "Love" by Ivy Bannister
2nd: : "Stay Close to the Water's Edge"
  • 2000
Winner: "The Hanging Trees" by Ruth LeGoff
  • 2001
Winner: "Dipping into the Darkness" by Maire McSweeney
2nd : "I am the Song – Sing Me" by Elizabeth Carty
3rd : " Jealousy" by Susan Knight
  • 2002
Winner: "The Wind Across the Grass" by Nuala Ní Chonchúir
Joint 2nd: "Rebound" by Lorraine Francis
Joint 2nd: "Heaven" by Jim Mullarkey
  • 2003
Winner: "Lemon Creams" by Vincent McDonnell
2nd : "Would you like to see a photograph?" by Billy Thompson
  • 2004
Winner: "The Mango War" by Martin Malone
2nd : "Walking Toby" by Geraldine Mills
3rd : "Glimpse" by James Moynihan
  • 2005
Winner: "Dark Horses" by Claire Keegan
2nd : "Pascal's Wager" by Michael J Farrell
3rd : "The World of Tides" by Bill Murray
  • 2006
Winner: "A Thing of Beauty" by Hester Casey
2nd : "The Weight of Feathers" by Geraldine Mills
3rd : "For Scrap" by Gavin Corbett
  • 2007
Winner: "Valediction" by Joe O'Donnell
2nd : "Loser" by Eileen Counihan
3rd : "The Man With No Name" by Gerry Boland
  • 2008
Winner: "Hay" by Ciarán Folan
2nd : "Home Help" by Dolores Walsh
3rd : "Romance" by Alastair Hadden
  • 2010
Winner: "Fishing for Dreams" by Joyce Russell
2nd : "Silverfish" by Eileen Lynch
3rd : "Comfort" by Sheila Mannix
  • 2011
Winner: "Orca" by Austin Duffy
2nd : "Platform 17 – Grand Central Station" by Patrick Griffin
3rd : "Seven Steps Home" by Andrew Fox