Anne O’Brien
First prize: Anne O’Brien
Five years ago, Anne O’Brien left her job in the European Commission in Brussels to pursue her passion in creative writing. Since then, she has gained a Masters degree in Creative Writing at Lancaster University and is currently working towards her PhD. Her stories have been shortlisted in many competitions including the Sunday Business Post/Penguin Ireland Short Story competition, the Bridport Prize, the BBC’s Opening Lines and the Fish Short Story Prize. Anne’s work has appeared in several anthologies and magazines as well as been translated and published in Vietnamese.