Galway authors Catherine Doyle, Michelle McDonagh, Caoilinn Hughes and Joe Canning have been shortlisted for this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards, while Nuala O’Connor, Edel Coffey and Hector Ó hEochagáin, who are also shortlisted, are all based in Galway.
The winners will be announced at ceremony in the Convention Centre, Dublin, on Wednesday, November 27, with a programme announcing the An Post Irish Bok of the Year being broadcast on RTE 1 on Thursday, December 19
Other authors shortlisted across 20 categories include Cecelia Ahern, Colm Tóibín, Hayley Kilgallon, Dylan McGrath, Myles Dungan, Sarah Webb, Oliver Jeffers, Zainab Boladale, David McWilliams, Ferdia Lennon, Sally Rooney, Proinsias Mac a’ Bhaird, Christine Dwyer Hickey and Niamh Mulvey.
Seaborne by Nuala O’Connor, published by New Island Books, is up for the Eason Novel of the Year against Wild Houses by Colin Barrett; The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry; Roddy Doyle’s The Woman Behind the Door; Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo; Donal Ryan’s Heart, Be at Peace; Colm Tóibín’s Long Island and Our London Lives by Christine Dwyer Hickey.
Joe Canning’s My Story, written with Vincent Hogan and published by Gill, is shortlisted in the Eason Sports Book of the Year category.
Somebody Knows by Michelle McDonagh (Hachette Books Ireland) is shortlisted for The Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year, as is A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey; Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh; Where They Lie by Claire Coughlan; Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara; and When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips.
The Last Word Listeners’ Choice Award features The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes (Oneworld Publications) and In Her Place by Edel Coffey, published by Sphere.
This category also includes Kevin Barry’s The Heart in Winter; The Last Disco – The Story of the Stardust Tragedy by Sean Murray, Christine Bohan and Nicky Ryan; The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation – and the other 99% by Conor Niland; and Long Island by Colm Tóibín.
Hector Ó hEochagáin’s The Irish Words You Should Know, published by Gill, is shortlisted in the TheJournal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year alongside the Atlas of the Irish Civil War – New Perspectives; The Enchanted Bay – Tales and Legends from Ernie O’Malley’s Irish Folklore Collection; Irish Food History – A Companion; 1588, The Spanish Armada and the 24 Ships Lost on Ireland’s Shores; and Reeling in the Queers – Tales of Ireland’s LGBTQ Past.
A new category was added to the awards this year: the ‘Hodges Figgis History Book of the Year, which celebrates Ireland’s history writers and acknowledges the importance of historical writing.
The organisers are now asking the public to vote for the best books of the year, at anpostirishbookawards.ie/vote.
All taking part will be entered into a draw to win one of five €100 National Book Tokens vouchers. Voting closes on November 14, at 5pm.
Pictured: Local author Michelle McDonagh is among those shortlisted. PHOTO: BRIAN HARDING.
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