CLEAR SOME SPACE on your bookshelves, because the best books in Ireland right now have been named.
This evening saw the writers of this year’s best fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks and other literary gems being awarded at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2014.
The winners
Renowned contemporary Irish poet Paul Durcan was presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award 2014 by Paula Meehan, Ireland Professor of Poetry, while bestselling author Jeffrey Archer was presented with the inaugural International Recognition Award by broadcaster George Hook.
Academy St by first time novelist Mary Costello beat off stiff competition in the Eason Novel of the Year category which featured literary heavyweights John Boyne, David Mitchell, Colm Tóibín, Joseph O’ Conor and John Kelly.
The star-studded awards ceremony took place in the Dublin’s Double Tree Hilton and was attended by Roddy Doyle, Damien Dempsey, Anthony ‘Dalo’ Daly, Rachel and Isaac Allen, Majella and Daniel O’ Donnell, Paul Galvin and Louise Duffy, actor and writer Eoin Macken, David and Stephen Flynn (the Happy Pear twins), Susan Jane White, John Kelly, Donal Ryan and Kevin Dundon.
The event was hosted by RTE’s Keelin Shanley and awards were presented by John Murray from RTE Radio 1, TV presenters Sinead Desmond and Brendan O’ Connor, TheJournal.ie editor Susan Daly, and children’s writer Eoin Colfer.
Eason Novel of the Year:
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year:
RTÉ Radio 1’s John Murray Show Listeners’ Choice Award:
Ireland AM Crime Fiction Book of the Year:
Avonmore Cookbook of the Year:
National Book Tokens Non-Fiction Book of the Year:
Books Are My Bag Popular Fiction Book of the Year:
Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year:
TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year:
Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year:
Junior
Senior
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year:
Chairman of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards, John Treacy, said:
These fantastic award winners represent the very best Irish books published this year. They reflect a highly vibrant and creative community and are a wonderful example of Irish writing and publishing at its very best.
David Kirwan, Managing Director at Bord Gáis Energy said “these awards celebrate and promote the indigenous jewel that is Irish writing”.
Interviews
We’ve been interviewing and writing about some of the nominees (some of whom ended up being winners), which you can find here:
From today, the public can vote for their overall ‘Bord Gáis Energy Book of the Year’ by going to www.bgeirishbookawards.ie. Voting is open until midnight on Thursday 4 December.
Interviews with the winners by RTÉ’s Evelyn O’Rourke, along with highlights from the awards ceremony, will be aired on RTE Television on Saturday 29 November.
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