The Stinging Fly

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The Stinging Fly is a literary magazine in Ireland featuring short stories and poetry. It was founded in 1998 by Declan Meade and Aoife Kavanagh, but the latter left after two issues, leaving Meade as sole editor. Eabhan Ní Shúileabháin became poetry editor in September 2001. There are three issues a year. Since 2005 The Stinging Fly has also become a publisher with three fiction titles to date.

[edit] The Stinging Fly Magazine

The stated founding objective was to provide a forum for the very best new Irish and international writing. Most of the contributors are new or emerging writers, and in practice 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. Each issue also presents the artwork of a particular illustrator or artist in black & white.

Having published 18 issues, in 2004 Meade took a break 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/her work. The first featured poet was Phillip Crymble.

[edit] 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 There Are Little Kingdoms, the debut story collection from Kevin Barry, was published. Reviews of these books appeared in Ireland’s national newspapers The Irish Times, The Examiner, and The Sunday Business Post.

The press aims to concentrate on a small number of titles.