''The Stinging Fly'' is a literary magazine published in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, featuring

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

essays An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

, and

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

. It publishes two issues each year. In 2005, ''The Stinging Fly'' moved into a book publishing with the establishment of The Stinging Fly Press. The magazine has been described as "something of a revelation in Irish literature" by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''.

Magazine

History and editors

''The Stinging Fly'' magazine was founded in 1998 by Declan Meade and Aoife Kavanagh. Kavanagh departed after two issues, leaving Meade as sole editor. The enterprise was initially inspired by David Marcus and the publication of the '' Fish Anthology''. The stated founding objective was to provide a forum for the very best new Irish and international writing. Eabhan Ní Shúileabháin became poetry editor in September 2001. After 18 published issues, Meade took a break in 2004 and, as he says on the official website, "toyed with the idea of giving it all up." The magazine reappeared as Issue 1 of Volume 2 in summer 2005, in a new 75x245mm format with graphic design by Fergal Condon. The new volume also introduced a "featured poet" section of four or five pages which allows a relatively new poet to present a more representative sample of his or her work. The first featured poet was Phillip Crymble. From 2014 to 2016, Thomas Morris was the magazine's editor.

Sally Rooney Sally Rooney (born 20 February 1991) is an Irish author and screenwriter. She has published four novels: ''Conversations with Friends'' (2017), ''Normal People'' (2018), ''Beautiful World, Where Are You'' (2021), and ''Intermezzo (novel), Interm ...

was editor from December 2017 until January 2019, and is now Chair of the Stinging Fly Board. Danny Denton succeeded as editor in 2019. In June 2022, novelist

Lisa McInerney Lisa McInerney is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, editor and screenwriter. She is best known for her novel, '' The Glorious Heresies'', which was the 2016 winner of the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. Biography McInerney was ...

was announced as the new editor, the sixth editor in the magazine's twenty-five-year history.

Writers

Most of the contributors are new or emerging writers, and usually have some connection to Ireland. Equal emphasis is given to short stories and poetry, with occasional other material such as novel extracts, song lyrics, and author interviews. Along with ''

The Dublin Review ''The Dublin Review'' is a quarterly magazine that publishes essays, reportage, autobiography, travel writing, criticism and fiction. It was launched in December 2000 by Brendan Barrington, who remains the editor and publisher, assisted by Nora M ...

'', ''

The Honest Ulsterman ''The Honest Ulsterman'' is a long-running Northern Ireland literary magazine that was established by James Simmons in 1968. It was then edited for twenty years by Frank Ormsby. It has returned as an online publication from 2014 onwards. Th ...

'', '' The Dublin Review of Books'', and various other titles, it is one of a number of periodicals to have contributed to a boom in Irish literary journals over the past decade. Notable writers who have made their debuts in the magazine include: Sally Rooney, Nicole Flattery, Sara Baume, Rob Doyle, Colin Barrett, Wendy Erskine, and Oisin Fagan.

The Stinging Fly Press

The Stinging Fly Press was established in 2005, and the first title, ''Watermark'' by Derry-born author Sean O'Reilly, was published in May that year. In July 2006, the imprint brought out a special fiction issue of the magazine in book form: ''These Are Our Lives'' featuring 22 short stories by Irish and international writers. In March 2007, The Stinging Fly published ''There Are Little Kingdoms'', the debut story collection from

Kevin Barry Kevin Gerard Barry (20 January 1902 – 1 November 1920) was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) soldier and medical student who was executed by the British Government during the Irish War of Independence. He was sentenced to death for his part in a ...

. The book went on to win the 2007 Rooney Prize, and received rave reviews. In May 2012, The Stinging Fly published ''The China Factory'', a short story collection by Mary Costello. The book received positive reviews, notably in The Guardian, and went on to be longlisted for The Guardian First Book Award. In September 2013, The Stinging Fly press published ''Young Skins'' by Colin Barrett, which went on win the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, The Guardian first book award, and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. In 2015, The Stinging Fly Press published ''Pond'' by

Claire-Louise Bennett Claire-Louise Bennett is a British writer, living in Galway in Ireland. She is the author of the books ''Pond'' (2015), which was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, and '' Checkout 19'' (2021), which was shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize. ...

and ''Dinosaurs on Other Planets'' by Danielle McLaughlin, both to exceptional acclaim.

Davy Byrnes Short Story Award

Between 2004 and 2014, The Stinging Fly organised the Davy Byrnes Short Story Award, a prestigious prize for a single short story. The prize was held every five years. 2004 winner:

Anne Enright Anne Teresa Enright (born 11 October 1962) is an Irish writer. The first Laureate for Irish Fiction (2015–2018) and winner of the Man Booker Prize (2007), she has published eight novels, many short stories, and a non-fiction work called ''Mak ...

for her story 'Honey'. The judges were

A. L. Kennedy Alison Louise Kennedy (born 22 October 1965) is a Scots writer, academic and stand-up comedian. She writes novels, short stories and non-fiction, and is known for her dark tone and her blending of realism and fantasy. She contributes columns an ...

, ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

'' literary editor Caroline Walsh, and

Tobias Wolf Tobias Wolf (born 6 August 1988) is a German footballer who plays as a goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated p ...

.
2009 winner:

Claire Keegan Claire Keegan (born 1968) is an Irish writer known for her short stories, which have been published in ''The New Yorker'', '' Best American Short Stories'', ''Granta'', and ''The Paris Review''. She is also known for her novellas, two of which ha ...

for her story "

Foster Foster may refer to: People * Foster (surname) * Foster Brooks (1912–2001), American actor * Foster Moreau (born 1997), American football player * Foster Sarell (born 1998), American football player * John Foster Dulles (1888–1959), America ...

". The judge was

Richard Ford Richard Ford (born February 16, 1944) is an American novelist and short story author, and writer of a series of novels featuring the character Frank Bascombe. Ford's first collection of short stories, ''Rock Springs (short stories), Rock Springs ...

.
2014 winner: Sara Baume for her story "Solesearcher1". The judges were

Jon McGregor Jon McGregor (born 1976) is a British novelist and short story writer. In 2002, his debut novel, first novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize, making him then the youngest-ever contender. His second and fourth novels were longlisted for the ...

and

Yiyun Li Yiyun Li (Chinese: 李翊雲 - ''Li Yiyun'') (born November 4, 1972) is a Chinese-born writer and professor who has lived and worked in the United States since entering graduate school. She writes exclusively in English. Her short stories and no ...

Stinging Fly/FBA Fiction Prize

In May 2022, Emer O'Hanlon was announced 2022 winner of the inaugural Stinging Fly/FBA Fiction Prize for her story "Diana in a Lonely Place". She was followed by Leopold O'Shea in 2023 for his story, "The Afterlife", and Moso Sematlane in 2024 for "A Fern Between Rocks". The €2000 prize is awarded annually to an emerging fiction writer published in ''The Stinging Fly'' during the previous year.

References

External links

The Stinging Fly website

review of issue 3 vol 2, 2006

review of issues 5, 6 and 7, vol 2 {{DEFAULTSORT:Stinging Fly, The 1998 establishments in Ireland Literary magazines published in Ireland Magazines established in 1998 Poetry literary magazines Triannual magazines Mass media in Dublin (city)