The O'Longan Memorial Prizes

The O'Longan Memorial Prizes were established in 1919 to honor Mícheál Óg Ó Longáin, a Cork poet (1766-1827), in recognition of his efforts for the preservation and extension of Irish literature. The fund was raised by public subscription and handed over to University College Cork for investment in Irish securities. The prizes are awarded for merit in original composition in Irish, either prose or poetry, with the subject at the competitor's discretion. The annual interest from the investment provides approximately €500 for book prizes to encourage literary work in the Irish language. Competitors may be current UCC students or graduates of not more than two years' standing. Compositions must be submitted by March 17th each year, and prizes are only awarded when literary merit is shown. The adjudication is made by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, and the award is final. Where merit is shown, prizes may be divided, and a first prize may not be awarded more than once to any competitor.