In "Celtic Tiger, Standing Stones," Kathleen Mangan illustrates the disastrous impact that economic prosperity and rural development can have on cultural and historic sites. She does this through the tale of her family's relationship with a pair of ancient standing stones on a farm near Killarney.

Excerpts:
"...Three archeology teams have come to study the stones, but they never shared their results. Specifics aren't necessary for me--I've still come to regard the stones as my family's crown jewels."

"...One of the two standing stones was leaning now, as if pointing in incredulity toward the mess in the pit below. The stones seemed stubbornly defiant, standing as they have for thousands of years, cold-shouldered against the slashing storms off the Atlantic. And yet they are no match for a front-end loader."

Kathleen Mangan considers Ireland her soul home. She also won the Best Magazine Feature Story award in the Caribbean Tourism Organization's 2004 travel writing competition for a Caribbean Travel & Life article on carnival in St. Thomas. Mangan has been a contributing editor for five magazines, including Islands. Her work has appeared in more than 60 publications.

 
Past Contests:
TC Europe 2007
TC West 2005
TC Ireland 2005
TC West 2004

 
Past Contest Winners:
2007 - Kathleen Mangan
2007 - Paul Ross
2006 - Wayne Curtis
2006 - Margie Goldsmith
2005 - Allan Lynch
2005 - Ed Readicker-Henderson
2004 - Barbara Wysocki
2003 - Ed Readicker-Henderson
2002 - Margie Goldsmith
2001 - Melanie McManus
2000 - Judy Kirkwood
1999 - Melanie McManus
1998 - Yvonne Jeffery
1997 - Laura Byrne Paquet