Who we are

Crannóg is run by an editorial board of four writers:
Sandra Bunting, Tony O’Dwyer, Ger Burke and Jarlath Fahy.

What we Do

For each issue the Crannóg office receives eight to nine hundred submissions. The four editorial board members read every poem and short-story. That means each submission is read four times. Or as we like to say by eight eyes!

At the end of each reading period we hold an editorial meeting to discuss the submissions. At that point each member has given each submission a weighting of 1 – 5. There follows a process of debating, defending and advocating. This can often lead to lively meetings and interesting exchanges on the merits of individual works. It also means there is a more thorough analysis of the submissions; works which were rejected by some are often now re-evaluated and included in the final consensus. However, we are continually surprised by the level of unanimity. And grateful as well, as it keeps these meetings short and amicable!

Our History

Crannóg Magazine story

The Bridge Mills building in Galway is flanked on one side by the River Corrib and on the other by one of the many canals that run through the city. Upstairs in this building the members of Galway Writers’ Workshop met every Saturday afternoon since it was founded in 1982 until they moved recently to the Galway Arts Centre. When, at one of these Saturday meetings, it was decided to start a magazine to showcase the work of the group, one of the first tasks was to agree on a title. After a number of failed suggestions one member (it is not recorded who) looked out a window and said, “We’re surrounded on all sides by water. We could be in a crannóg. How about calling it Crannóg?” – That was 2002.

The first issue was launched in what was then the Atlanta Hotel in Dominick Street, a favourite haunt of the arts community in Galway at the time. That issue contained poetry and fiction by the sixteen members of the Workshop. The second issue in the spring of 2003 included, in addition, work by other Galway writers. By the third issue, summer 2003, contributions were received from writers all over Ireland. An online presence was established in 2004 which brought submissions from an international audience and now Crannóg is read all over the world. Crannóg authors have been included in The Forward Book of Poetry and some established writers have acknowledged Crannóg as their first publication, highlighting the quality and reach of the magazine.

Crannóg’s rapid growth is due to a consistent raising of standards in production, in content and in the use of new technology to widen its scope and compete with the best of literary magazines internationally. It continues its efforts to grow the magazine and to contribute to Irish cultural life. Crannóg is financed by sales of the magazine, subscriptions, plus grants from the Irish Arts Council and from Galway City Council’s Arts Office. Launches are also an important sales platform as well as being a festive event on the Galway literary calendar. Readers come from all over Ireland, and some indeed from abroad, to the Crane Bar on Sea Road to read, to meet with fellow writers, and enjoy the music and craic. So Crannóg hasn’t moved very far from its birthplace at the top of Dominick St. but in literary terms it has travelled many times around the world.

Crannóg’s Mission

Crannóg’s mission is to publish the work of Irish writers alongside the best available worldwide and to show how well such writing sits with the best available internationally. This has a dual effect of giving writers a world platform to have their work read in print and also brings work of an international standard to the attention of an Irish audience. Each issue of Crannóg contains in the region of a dozen short-stories and 35 poems all presented between those beautifully designed covers.

Our Sponsorers

Crannóg acknowledges the assistance of:
Arts Council of Ireland and Galway City Council.

GALWAY WRITERs’ WORKSHOP

Galway Writers’ Workshop is open to new members.

We meet on Saturdays 3 – 5pm. Critique is constructive and friendly. It is peer led and covers poetry, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, drama etc. Members also share information, ideas and experiences.

Apply by contacting Ger Burke using the button below.

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