Murray, Walsh and O'Sullivan among winners at An Post Irish Book Awards
Paul Murray, Colin Walsh and Katriona O’Sullivan were among the winning authors at this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards held in the Convention Centre, Dublin, this evening (22nd November).
Murray won the Eason Novel of the Year Award for The Bee Sting (Hamish Hamilton), which is also shortlisted for The Booker Prize. O’Sullivan claimed two prizes with Poor (Sandycove) winning the Bookselling Ireland Biography of the Year as well as The Last Word Listeners’ Choice Award.
Brenden Corbett, chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, said: “The An Post Irish Book Awards has established itself as a highlight of the Irish literary calendar and we are immensely proud of what we’ve achieved through a broad coalition of readers, writers, publishers, sponsors, booksellers and librarians.
“Many Irish books have been published during the last year, not only by established writers but also by a number of incredibly talented newcomers who are a wonderful addition to the Irish literary scene. We are delighted to congratulate all of this year’s winners of the An Post Irish Book Awards.”
Walsh took home the Newcomer of the Year Award for Kala (Atlantic Books), while Claire Keegan was named Author of the Year.
Sarah Binchy won the Best Irish-Published Book of the Year for Sunday Miscellany: A Selection 2018-2023 (New Island Books), Mark Moriarty triumphed in Cookbook of the Year with Flavour, photographed by Cliodhna Prendergast (Gill Books), and Roz Purcell snapped up Lifestyle Book of the Year for The Hike Life (Black & White Publishing). Mark O’Connell won Non-Fiction Book of the Year with A Thread of Violence (Granta Books), Eimear Ryan’s The Grass Ceiling (Sandycove) was named Sports Book of the Year and Liz Nugent’s Strange Sally Diamond (Sandycove) received the Crime Fiction Book of the Year Award.
Sandycove won four categories in total. Michael McLoughlin, publisher, told The Bookseller: "This year has been an exceptional year for Sandycove with bestsellers and awards recognition across our varied list. I’m really proud of the editorial, sales and communications team in Dublin and also of how we collaborate with the Penguin General teams in London to create bestsellers in Ireland and the UK."
Sophie White landed the Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award with My Hot Friend (Hachette Books Ireland), Róise Ní Bhaoill won Irish Language Fiction Book of the Year Award with Imram agus Scéalta Eile (Éabhlóid) and Valeriia Shmyrova scooped New Voices: The An Post Writing Prize for The Border / Кордон.
Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year went to Black and Irish: Legends, Trailblazers and Everyday Heroes by Leon Diop and Briana Fitzsimons, illustrated by Jessica Louis (Little Island Books and Black & Irish), while Children’s Book of the Year – Junior was awarded to The President’s Dog by Peter Donnelly (Gill Books) and Children’s Book of the Year – Senior went to I Am The Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere, edited by Lucinda Jacob and Sarah Webb, illustrated by Ashwin Chacko (Little Island Books).
Short Story of the Year was awarded to Such A Pretty Face by Moïra Fowley (Eyes Guts Throat Bones, Orion), while Mary O’Donnell won Poem of the Year with "Vectors in Kabul". Bookshop of the Year went to Halfway up the Stairs in Greystones, County Wicklow.
