John O’Donnell

John O’Donnell’s poetry and fiction have been widely published. Awards include the Irish National Poetry Prize, New Irish Writing Awards for Poetry and Fiction, Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair and the RTE Francis McManus Short Story Award. His first short story collection Almost the Same Blue was a Sunday Independent Book of the Year. Rainbow Baby, an RTÉ radio play, won a New York Festivals Radio Award. His documentary about the 1979 Fastnet disaster, Back To The Rock, was broadcast on RTE’s Doc On One. Mr Hoo and Other Stories, John’s second short-story collection, was published by Doire Press in March 2026. 

John’s participation in this year’s festival is supported by Doire Press