The 5th annual Wexford Literary Festival ended today with the presentation of writing awards in the famed Athenaeum Hall at Enniscorthy, where the most famous pair in Irish theatrical history, Micheal MacLiammor and Hilton Edwards met for the first time on the stairs in 1927.
Carmel Harrington, who is vacating the chairperson role after three years, said the festival was “a celebration of books, writers and readers and all events had ‘packed houses’.”
She thanked everybody who had made the festival such an outstanding success this year and wished Caroline Busher (vice-chair who will take over the top spot) and the committee every success going forward into next year’s festival.
Ms Harrington refused to say ‘good-bye’ instead she said ‘farewell’.

The beautiful copper plaque located on the stairs of the Athenaeum Hall, Enniscorthy, depicting the first ever meeting of theatrical legends, Micheal Mac Liammoir and Hilton Edwards in 1927. Pic: WexfordToday.com

There was positive support from Cllr Keith Doyle, Chairman of Wexford County Council who observed that “the calibre of the panel discussions was first class” and the Wexford Literary Festival is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Enniscorthy and all it has to offer to visitors and locals alike.
The closing event was all about presenting the 2018 awards.
The Colm Toibín International Short Story Award attracted 183 submissions, a dozen were short listed, and the winner was a story titled ‘The Moth’ by Jupiter Jones, who lives in the UK and was absent.
Ann Haverty, who was married to the late Anthony Cronin, a native of Enniscorthy, was loud in her praise for the festival and impressed that there were over 200 submissions for the poetry award.
Ten were short listed and the prize went to ‘Wash Day’, which was read by the creator, Kerry-born Joan Morrissey, who once lived in Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary, but now lives in Dublin, and was delighted by her experience in Enniscorthy this weekend.
The awards results were as follows;
THE COLM TOIBÍN INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD.
1st prize (€1,000 and crystal); ‘The Moth’ by Jupiter Jones.
2nd prize (€500); ‘The Price of Everything’ by A. Joseph Black.
3rd prize (€300); ‘Tell Me’ by Michael Hartnett.
The adjudicators were Carmel Harrington, June Caldwell and Sinead Gleeson.
THE ANTHONY CRONIN INTERNATIONAL POETRY AWARD.
1st prize (€250 and crystal); ‘Wash Day’ by Joan Morrissey.
2nd prize (€200); ‘Europe 1945’ by James Leader.
3rd prize (€100); ‘Flying Pigs’ by Margaret Galvan.
The adjudication panel consisted of Denis Collins, John Kelly and Maria Clifford.
BILLY ROCHE SHORT PLAY AWARD
Also in attendance was award-winning playwright, Declan Dempsey, whose first play, ‘A Sergeant and a Gentleman’ won the Billy Roche Short Play Award at the Wexford Literary Festival which was presented on the opening night in Presentation Art Centre, Enniscorthy.
The Wexfordman’s work was one of 51 submissions and one of four short-listed and acted out on stage before a capacity audience that included the legendary Billy Roche who is delighted to have his name associated with this event.