Mayo writer in line for prestigious prize
John Armstrong (centre) pictured with his parents Ken and Patricia at last year's Wild Atlantic Words. Picture: John Mee
Mayo writer John Armstrong is among the nominees for the RTÉ Short Story Competition prize.
Ten outstanding new stories which have been shortlisted for the RTÉ Short Story Competition 2026 in honour of Francis MacManus, from almost 2,500 entries submitted.
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the RTÉ Short Story Competition which has been at the heart of new Irish writing throughout the four decades.
The ten shortlisted short stories were selected by this year’s judges, Aingeala Flannery, Tristan Rosenstock and Jan Carson.
Castlebar-native John Armstrong has been shortlisted for his story ‘Inertia’.
John holds an MPhil in Irish Writing from Trinity College Dublin. In 2025 he won the Wild Atlantic Words Short Story Competition and has work forthcoming in the Cork-based literary journal HOWL. He lives in Dublin where he works as a civil servant.
“With 'Inertia', I wanted to explore the surrealism of illness and ageing: a familiar domestic space made strange as experiences diverge and relationships fray. How do we manage from one day to the next? And what might life look like on the other side?”, said John.
All ten stories will be published on rte.ie/culture on Saturday, October 17, and broadcast (read by actors) on RTÉ Radio 1’s Late Date with Cathal Murray and Ray Cuddihy over the course of the following two weeks, from Monday, October 19.
An awards event takes place Parnell Square, Dublin City at 7pm on Friday, October 30, which all the shortlisted writers are invited to attend.
