Mullingar writer shortlisted for prestigious award

A Mullingar based writer has been nominated for one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country.

Anne Griffin has been shortlisted for a Hennessy Award, in the First Fiction category for her short story, Grace. Published in the Irish Times last May, Grace tells the story a single mother who is being haunted by the ghost of the recently deceased office worker whom she has replaced.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Dublin native Anne, who is currently undertaking an MA in Creative Writing in UCD, says that she is “thrilled” and “over the moon” to have been nominated for such a prestigious award. She also hopes that it may open a few doors in the competitive world of publishing.

“Talking to my colleagues on the course, the awe with which people speak about the award, it’s something you don’t realise until you speak with your peers. “It is a great honour. It’s not just a validation of your work but hopefully it might lead places. It’s that renowned that who know’s where you’d go if you won? But to be shortlisted is enough to make people pay attention to who you are.”

Currently putting the finishing touches to her first novel, Anne, who is currently on a career break from her work with the Dyslexia Association of Ireland, says that at present she prefers writing short stories to the longer form.

“It’s different for different people. Some people would rather write short stories. As someone new to the craft I find it easier to sustain the quality in a short story. It’s very difficult to keep the momentum going in a novel and it’s something that I’m learning.”

This year’s Hennessy Awards take place in the Irish Museum of Modern Art on April 28. The winners in four categories: First Fiction, Emerging Fiction and Emerging Poetry and the Hennessy New Irish Writer for 2016 will be chosen by judging panel of author Hugo Hamilton, poet Paul Perry, and New Irish Writing page editor, Ciaran Carty.