UCC to donate half the cost of short story award

University College Cork has thrown a lifeline to the world’s most lucrative award for a collection of short stories.

The university is to donate half the prize money of the €25,000 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award.

Hosted by the Munster Literature Centre, the award — presented to the winner as part of the Cork International Short Story Festival (Sep 18-22) — is normally donated by Cork City Council. Pat Cotter, director of the literature centre, said City Hall had been “encouraging us to find a co-sponsor for a number of years. We tried the business sector and then, out of the blue, Professor Claire Connolly — head of the School of English at UCC — approached us with an offer of a donation which is now in place for three years”.