Here is the broadcast schedule for the 2025 shortlist. All the stories will be published on rte.ie/culture on Saturday 11 October 2025 and will be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 at 11.20pm every night as part of Late Date:
Monday 13 October
Witness, by Lynda McCarthy, read by Eileen Walsh
Tuesday 14 October
It Must Have Come First, by Sage Omar, read by Marty Breen
Wednesday 15 October
Feeding Time, by Sinèad Troy, read by Andrew Bennett
Thursday 16 October
Wolves by Peter McCauley, read by Paul Mallon
Friday 17 October
Corrán Na Maidine, by Niall Ó Siadhail, read by Brídín Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh
No story Saturday 18 Oct
Sunday 19 October
Labels by Mary O'Rourke, read by Clare Barrett
Monday 20 October
Kazakhstan, by Kevin McDermott, read by John Olohan
Tuesday 21 October
A Spectrum of Sorrow, by Angela Finn, read by Janet Moran
Wednesday 22 October
Pool Story, by Jill Kenny, read by Naoise Dunbar
Thursday 23 October
Auntie and Anto and Ivy and Ava, by Ian Feighery, read by Ebby O'Toole-Acheampong
These broadcasts all lead up to Friday 24 October 7pm Arena / RTÉ Short Story Competition 2025 special programme in the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire and broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1