An Post has renewed its headline sponsorship of the annual Irish Book Awards for an undisclosed sum. First leading the initiative in 2018, the new deal extends to 2027, marking a decade of support. Now in its 20th year, the awards bring readers, authors, booksellers, publishers and librarians together to recognise the best of Irish writing talent.
The competition covers 18 categories, including novel of the year, children, history, crime fiction, popular fiction, non-fiction, sports, lifestyle, short story, Irish language, poetry, teen and young adult, Irish published and biogs. Authors honoured include Marian Keyes, Donal Ryan, Joseph O’Connor, Sally Rooney, Roddy Doyle and Sinéad Gleeson.
The Bob Hughes lifetime achievement award is a special recognition of Irish writers and poets. Past winners include Anne Enright, Sebastian Barry, Colm Toibín, Thomas Kinsella, Eavan Boland, John Montague, JP Donleavy, Paul Durcan, John Banville, Maeve Binchy, John McGahern, Edna O’Brien, William Trevor, Séamus Heaney and Paul Howard (above).
Howard is best known for his Ross O’Carroll-Kelly articles at weekends in The Irish Times.
The shortlist for this year’s awards will be announced on Wednesday, October 22. The winners’ ceremony will be in the Convention Centre on Thursday, November 27. A TV show hosted by Oliver Callan will be broadcast on RTÉ One Television in December, culminating in one of the winning titles being announced as the An Post Irish Book of the Year.
Pictured above are David McRedmond, CEO, An Post; Alastair Giles, executive director of the Irish Book Awards and authors Claire Coughlan, Michelle Gallen and Caitriona Lally
