THE WINNERS of the An Post Irish Book Awards have been announced, with Richie Sadlier, Sally Hayden, John Boyne, Kellie Harrington and many more among the winners on the night.
Held at the Convention Centre in Dublin last night, former RTÉ broadcaster Charlie Bird claimed victory with his biography Time and Tide, while the Eason novel of the Year Award went to Louise Kennedy for her book Trespasses.
Bridge Street Books in Co Wicklow claimed the title of Irish Bookshop of the Year, while Marian Keyes won the National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year for Again, Rachel - a sequel to the 1998 novel Rachel's Holiday.
First awarded in 2006, the An Post Irish Book Awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to the widest range of readers possible.
Each year it brings together a vast community passionate about books – readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians – to recognise the very best of Irish writing talent.
The Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award honours those who have made a significant contribution to Irish literature.
This year’s recipient is Anne Enright!
HUGE congratulations!! 👏👏👏
#APIBA #ReadersWanted pic.twitter.com/obe1kIIGqW— An Post Irish Book Awards (@AnPostIBAS) November 23, 2022
Brenden Corbett, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, said:
"Our industry has worked so hard to grow the awards from something quite small into the behemoth it has become today and we are immensely proud of what we’ve achieved through a broad coalition of readers, writers, publishers, sponsors, booksellers and librarians.
"Some wonderful books have been published this year, many by established literary stars, but also by an astonishing number of talented newcomers who seem to spring fully-formed on to the Irish literary scene every year. We are delighted to congratulate the winners with their An Post Irish Book Awards."
David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, says:
"Books represent the best of us as a nation. An Post is very proud to be associated with the Irish Book Awards. It’s wonderful to celebrate such great writers, illustrators, poets and bookshops from across the island. I congratulate the winners and all those who were shortlisted."
A one-hour television special, hosted by Oliver Callan, will be broadcast on RTÉ One on Wednesday 7 December which will reveal this year’s An Post Irish Book of the Year 2022, selected by a distinguished panel of judges.
The books that are nominated for the award are Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes, Time and Tide by Charlie Bird, My Fourth Time, We Drowned by Sally Hayden, Kellie by Kellie Harignton and Girls Who Slay Monsters by Ellen Ryan.
Previous winners of the An Post Irish Book of the Year include Fintan O’Toole for We Don’t Know Ourselves, Doireann Ni Ghriofa for A Ghost in the Throat and the late Vicky Phelan for Overcoming.
Full list of winners:
Eason Novel of the Year
- Trespasses – Louise Kennedy
TheJournal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year
- An Irish Folklore Treasury – John Creedon
Odgers Berndtson Non-fiction Book of the Year
- My Fourth Time, We Drowned – Sally Hayden
Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year
- An Irish Atlantic Rainforest: A Personal Journey into the Magic of Rewilding – Eoghan Daltun
Avoca Cookbook of the Year
- The Daly Dish: Bold Food Made Good – Gina and Karol Daly
Eason Sports Book of the Year in Association with Ireland AM
- Kellie – Kellie Harrington, with Roddy Doyle
Dubray Biography of the Year
- Time and Tide – Charlie Bird, with Ray Burke
Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year – Junior
- Our Big Day – Bob Johnston, illustrated by Michael Emberley
Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year – Senior
- Girls Who Slay Monsters – Ellen Ryan, illustrated by Shona Shirley Macdonald
Bookselling Ireland Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year
- Let’s Talk – Richie Sadlier
An Post Irish Bookshop of the Year
- Bridge Street Books, Wicklow
Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year
- EL – Thaddeus Ó Buachalla
Listowel Writers’ Week Poem of the Year
- Wedding Dress – Martina Dalton
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year
- This Small Giddy Life – Nuala O’Connor
Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year
- Breaking Point – Edel Coffey
National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year
- Again, Rachel – Marian Keyes
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year
- There’s Been a Little Incident – Alice Ryan
Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year
- John Boyne
