‘Everyone in Cork has a story’
Patricia Looney, Foreword, Cork Stories
[ About Cork Stories ]
Cork Stories, edited by Madeleine D’Arcy and Laura McKenna, is a collection of short fiction set throughout the neighbourhoods of Cork city and county by writers who live or have lived in Cork. Some of the stories present vivid portraits of the neighbourhoods using specific landmarks and detail; others capture the spirit of the neighbourhoods and its people. Together the stories celebrate Cork and the people who live there.
Writers featured in Cork Stories include: Kevin Barry, Tadhg Coakley, Danny Denton, Martina Evans, Marie Gethins, Danielle McLaughlin, Oonagh Montague, Mary Morrissy, Grainne Murphy, Jamie O’Connell, Mel O’Doherty, Eileen O’Donoghue, Anne O’Leary, Tina Pisco, Sean Tanner, William Wall and Fiona Whyte.
[ My Review ]
Cork Stories published April 23rd with Doire Press and is a marvellous anthology consisting of eighteen short stories collated and edited by Madeleine D’Arcy and Laura McKenna. Location is the key connection between all these stories with each one based in the city or county of Cork. All contributors, a mix of well-established and less well-known writers, have some link to the city, all having lived at some point in Cork, and in many cases, still do.
The idea for this collection stemmed from the fact that Doire Press had previously published Galway Stories (2013) and Belfast Stories (2019). Madeleine D’Arcy saw an opportunity and, with the support of Doire Press and the assistance of Laura McKenna, the project was born.
Cork has a wealth of writers that we love to celebrate via a myriad of festivals, our wonderful bookshops and a culture that has always given space for the written word. With playwrights and writers, poets and bards, singers and musicians, actors and entertainers, the city is a great place for many to hone their trade.
Cork Stories features the work of writers that will be familiar to some of you, such as Kevin Barry, Gráinne Murphy, Jamie O’Connell, Danny Denton and so many more, but it is also an honour to read the work of writers who are stepping up and bringing their own twist to the form. The short story is said to be a challenge to perfect as within a few pages, the reader needs to be immediately immersed and spat out the other side, with a feeling that they have read something complete and contained. As with any collection there are some stories in Cork Stories that have a greater impact than others but I do think that the joy of such an anthology is that pick’n’mix idea of catering to the varied tastes of the readers.
A diverse assortment of fiction, Cork Stories highlights the unique charm and character of Cork through the voices of those who have walked its streets. With a mix of contemporary and historical narratives, this vibrant blend is a wonderful addition to this series and is a treasure trove of storytelling, a really timeless compilation.
[ Bio ]
MADELEINE D’ARCY is an award-winning fiction writer, resident in Cork City, Ireland. She is a qualified solicitor in Ireland and in the UK, but no longer practices law.
LAURA McKENNA’s debut novel, Words to Shape My Name, (New Island, 2021), was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award and was a winner at the 2020 IWC Novel Fair. Twice nominated for a Hennessy Literary Award, Laura was chosen for the 2021 Poetry Ireland Introduc¬tions Series. Laura’s short fiction has appeared in Southword, Banshee, Cork Words 2 Anthology and The Litro Anthology of New Fiction.
