Short stories by Niall McArdle #readingirelandmonth19
Some of you may know Niall at Raging Fluff as my co-host and co-conspirator of Reading Ireland Month aka The Begorrathon. Niall and I met at UCD too many years ago and despite keeping in touch over social media, only managed an actual, physical reunion at the Dalkey Book Festival last year, a mere 25 years after we first met!
What many of you might not know is that Niall is a very talented writer himself. So, while I am shining a light on the best of Irish literary talent this month (and in particular, short stories this week) it would be remiss of me not to draw attention to Niall’s great stories.
His most recent story, The Joker’s Smile Cannot Stop the World Turning was published a few weeks ago by AGNI Online and is a stunning story of childhood loss.
Niall won the RTÉ Guide/ Penguin Ireland Short Story Competition with The Rain Falls Differently Over There, a meditation on loss, reconnection and the power of memory. His story The Two of Hearts was originally broadcast on RTÉ Radio as a shortlisted story for the Francis MacManus Short Story competition.
He was shortlisted for the Hennessey New Writing Prize in October 2015 with 19 Ways to say I Love You – the tale of a literary love affair turned sour, then again in July 2017 with the affecting The Light on the Water. Both stories were published in The Irish Times.
Six of his stories are available to read online and I have linked to them all below. Do treat yourself and give them a read, as they are all excellent.
The Joker’s Smile Cannot Stop the World Turning
The Rain Falls Differently Over There
The Two of Hearts (read by Caitriona Ni Mhurchu)
And, when he is a big, famous, successful writer, you can say that you read his work here first!
About the Author:
Niall McArdle’s work has appeared in the Irish Times, Banshee, Spontaneity, Honest Ulsterman, AGNI, The Lonely Crowd, and Phoenix Irish Short Stories, and has been broadcast on RTÉ Radio. He has been shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary Awards, the Francis MacManus Short Story Competition and the Cúirt New Writing Prize, and was the winner of the 2018 RTÉ Guide / Penguin Ireland Short Story Competition. He lives in Dublin.
Follow his blog at www.ragingfluff.wordpress.com or on Twitter at @ragingfluff
Ireland Month Irish Literature irish literature niall mcardle readingirelandmonth16 short stories
Cathy746books View All →
I am a 40 something book buying addict trying to reduce the backlog one book at a time!
746books.com 
Reblogged this on The Fluff Is Raging and commented:
Incredibly humbled that my Begorrathon co-host, Cathy at 746 Books has given me this incredibly kind shoutout
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Lovely to have the chance to blow a friend’s trumpet for them, and how great that you’ve stayed in touh all that time.
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I’ve only read the first one, which you recommended elsewhere at some point, but I second your enthusiasm for it: remarkable. Will have a look at the others now, too. Thank you!
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My pleasure! I can’t wait until I’m announcing that his first collection is going to be published!
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Ah will you stop it!!
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Just read The Joker’s Smile… excellent! Like you, I look forward to Niall’s first collection…
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Thanks for sharing the links to these stories Cathy. I hope to read a couple of them this week.
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