The Irish Writers’ Festival returns to Los Gatos next month, and organizers are accepting submissions for its short story and poetry contests, as well as nominations for the Pat O’Laughlin Award.

The 2017 writers’ festival—featuring visiting writers from Ireland, along with local authors and entertainers—was developed to strengthen Los Gatos’ sister city relationship with Listowel, Ireland.

In a country that prides itself on its legacy of writers and poets, the city of Listowel is known as Ireland’s literary capital and is home to the 47-year-old Listowel Writer’s Week that draws an international audience.

The Los Gatos festival mirrors Listowel Writers’ Week and takes place Oct. 5-8 at various locations around town.

There are three contests that are open to the public: The Youth Poetry Contest is for poets under 18, the Shirley McClure Poetry Contest is for poets over 18 and the Short Story Contest is for all ages. The winner of the youth poetry contest will receive a $400 Amazon gift card, while adult poetry and short story winners will receive $600 and $1,000 cash prizes, respectively.

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“One of our judges for the short story contest is Mike McCormack, who’s short-listed for the Booker Prize,” festival organizer Catherine Barry said, “And our adult poetry contest will be judged by former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Sally Ashton. We had an overwhelming response to our contests last year, and we already have quite a few entries for this year.”

Nominations for the Pat O’Laughlin Award are open through Sept. 11, Barry said.

The award recognizes late Los Gatos Mayor Pat O’Laughlin, who was passionate about literature and was a regular Listowel Writers’ Week attendee.

“Nominees can be anyone who helps further the cause of the arts in the community,” Barry said.

Email nomination suggestions to cmjbarry@earthlink.net.

Los Gatos resident Anne Klaben is excited about the local festival because her brother was the famous Irish playwright John B. Keane, who helped found Listowel Writers’ Week.

“I attended the opening last year, and for a beginning venture, I was very impressed,” Klaben said. “I’m planning to attend more programs this year.”

Programs include “Paisanos: The Forgotten Irish of Latin America.”

“The Irish in Latin America is a fascinating story,” Irish Counsel General Robert O’Driscoll said. “The queen of Paraguay, Eliza Lynch, was from County Cork. There’s also the story of San Patricios. They were an Irish regiment in the U.S. Army that changed sides during the Mexican-American War. They were captured and hung for treason.”

The San Patricios story is told in Myles Dungan’s book “How the Irish Won the West.” He speaks Oct. 8.

On Oct. 7, Dungan will have a sit-down with Los Gatos author Norm Matteoni, who penned “Prairie Man.”

O’Driscoll, meanwhile, continues to pepper his conversations with tidbits about the Irish in the West, noting that the founders of the Fairmont Hotel chain were descendants of an Irish immigrant prospector who struck it rich during the Gold Rush.

“The Irish imprint on America is so strong; even the California flag has Irish green in it,” O’Driscoll said. “I believe when you understand history, it helps bring people together. You don’t have to be Irish to come to this.”

In addition to author readings and discussions, the festival includes workshops, Irish dancers and fiddlers, art exhibits and the U.S. premier of the documentary “John Hume in America.”

KGO AM broadcaster and comedienne Maureen Langan is set to perform her one-woman show, “Daughter of a Garbageman,” that’s about growing up with an Irish immigrant mother and Irish-American father from the South Bronx.

“I’m a freak of my family, and my dad is a total Archie Bunker,” Langan said.

The 2017 festival even has a contest for two round-trip tickets to Dublin on Aer Lingus. Enter the contest by donating $25 or more to the festival at irishwriterslosgatos.com. The contest is limited to 175 participants.

The festival website lists presenters and the cost for each event, although many are free.

The Los Gatos Irish Writers’ Festival is sponsored by the Irish Consulate in San Francisco and Irish Culture Bay Area.