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IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a great book by an Irish author, this latest shortlist for the Irish Book Awards is for you.
It’s the 10th year of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards, and this year’s shortlist features a diverse array of acclaimed Irish authors across a range of genres for adults and children.
TheJournal.ie is delighted to sponsor the Best Irish Published Book of the Year category, where the nominees include Jennifer Goff and Sinead Gleeson.
The titles were chosen from hundreds of books submitted for consideration. You get your say too – from today, the public can cast their vote on the best books via the awards website. Last year, over 45,000 readers and book lovers voted to select the winners.
Votes can be cast until midnight on 20 November 2015 and the winners will be announced at a gala event in Dublin’s Double Tree by Hilton Hotel on Wednesday, 25 November.
The awards have gone from just three categories in 2006 to 13 today. The highlights of the show will also be broadcast on RTÉ.
Brendan Corbett, Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards Chairperson, said:
Throughout the 10 years of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards, one thing has never changed and that has been the seemingly limitless creativity of Irish writers. The Awards were set up to honour such creativity and it is our hope that we’ve played our part in showcasing the work of so many talented writers over the years.
Over the next few weeks, TheJournal.ie will be highlighting the work of some of the authors in our Best Irish Published Book of the Year category.
One of those nominated is cookbook author Donal Skehan, who told TheJournal.ie: “The book [Fresh] came out of having a hectic schedule and needing to refocus, so I suppose these opportunities [like the awards] come up now and you enjoy them, rather than running around like a headless chicken and being stressed. It’s great.”
He recently wrote in the Sunday Independent about how his nominated book Fresh was inspired by being burnt out after a very busy year.
It’s the first time I’ve ever talked about something that is quite personal, and it was actually liberating in a sense because I suppose everyone sees me as a happy-go-lucky guy with lots of energy, which I am generally, but you also have to realise there’s downsides to all of the work that we’re doing.
He still has his Irish cooking series, UK Food Network series and RTÉ Reality Bites documentary show all to be launched in the coming months – so there’s no sign of him slowing down.
But to avoid burnout, Skehan now gets up 90 minutes earlier than usual in the morning and has a good breakfast every day, and his healthy recipes inspired Fresh.
“At the end of last year it was going ‘this is crazy, I’m not getting to enjoy eating, cooking, exercising, anything’, and we worked every weekend from August right through to Christmas. It was a point of stopping and really starting afresh.”
Shane Hegarty, author of the series Darkmouth (about human-eating monsters), said of the awards: “When you work on your own in an office, you start to go slightly… mad. So it’s just brilliant to have a night like this, it’s kind of like all your work colleagues in the same place.”
His series is aimed at a young readership, and Hegarty said this is something he’s proud of:
Younger readers are the best readership as far as I’m concerned, but also if you look at the strength of the shortlist there – John Boyne, Eoin Colfer, Sarah Crossan – you’re talking about just brilliant, brilliant, brilliant books. For me it’s a joy, but it shows the strength of children’s books now.
Eason Book Club Novel of the Year
TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year
Specsaver’s Children’s Book of the Year (Junior)
Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Senior)
Avonmore Cookbook of the Year
Ireland AM Crime Book of the Year
Irish Independent Popular Fiction Book of the Year
National Book Tokens Non-Fiction Book of the Year
Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year
Books Are My Bag Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year
RTÉ Radio 1′s The Ryan Tubridy Show Listeners’ Choice Award
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year
Told the wife I booked a table for 7 30. She was excited and got all dolled up. Seemed disappointed when we got there though, I thought she liked snooker.
@Brian Dunne: I thought my wife liked football and didn’t mind me drinking beer. Simple mistake to make.
@Brian Dunne: Cue the jokes about ‘that sinking feeling’
@Larry Betts: …and which colour to go for!
@Pat Barry: Kissing the pink for the day that’s in it
Many couples have to work long hours to pay mortgages that they sometimes have to schedule “Dates” to go somewhere nice and organise babysitter if they have children. It’s normal.
@thomas molloy: I am confused why the mortgage is mentioned? Is this relevant to a date? I mean cant one have a date night at home, feed the kids first, put them to bed and cook a nice meal to enjoy together. Doesnt have to be expensive just had to be a priority.
@Dramafree 2023: you’d need a bloody mortgage to go on a date these days, amirite fellas?
@Setanta O’Toole: No. A walk on a beach is free.
@Setanta O’Toole: especially on valentines
Journalists noticed an empty seat is an otherwise packed stadium for a derby and got curious. They asked the man next to it did he know why ?
“Oh, it was for my wife”
“She couldn’t make it to the match ?”
“Unfortunately she died”
” So sorry to hear that, very sad. You should have brought a friend to share the the experience, no ; maybe ?”
“No, I couldn’t do that ; they’re all at the Funeral.”
@offside again: ah the auld ones are….. the auld ones!!
This website is serious garbage lads, my goodness.
@Carl Valderrama: Took you more than 6 months to realise that?.
Ah ha ha….all the perpetually single blokes with lots to say. Hope you all got some Nivea hand-cream for Valentine’s.
I meant to tell her Darling when I look into your eyes time just simply stands still but I stumbled at the last minute and said jaysus your face would only stop a bleedin clock.
@Róisín Flemping Bunt-Himmler: Travellers have influence?
@Róisín Flemping Bunt-Himmler: Which Wards are they?
She was good from far …….but yet far from good!
Love is in the air….. apparently
In the words of Donald Trump: What a st##d question!
@Andrew Kenny: st###d
@gav0kelly: flatulence, that’s why the smellies are at it again
@gav0kelly: Did you know county councils have a caravan loan scheme specially for travellers.
If their just friends
@Francisco O brien: You typed four words and still managed to get the grammar wrong.
What’s actually mad at the moment is the amount of lads I know that don’t want to get in relationships is getting more common and by that I don’t mean staying single sleeping around. Just avoiding contact with women altogether and having peace of mind and freedom very surprised by the trend that’s growing now.
My husband and myself still go on dates after 34 years of marriage. We make an effort to dress well and have dinner out once a month. It’s important to still make an effort for each other.
If in relationship for long time love each other going to find time to do stiff and so shouldn’t the once off rip of costs of valentine’s day. As know especially in hospitality sector ripoed off on ordinary day. Love love but we usually go out week before or something valentine’s day is money racket
@Róisín Flemping Bunt-Himmler: No wonder insurance companies riddle us.
Nonsense carry on, she should have been barred.
How on earth can you be in a committed relationship and still be shopping around? Catch a grip.!!!
Anything to stipe her from cooking!
@Gavin Smartr: stop
@Kieran Conroy: yeah. Get with it. Date r.pe jokes are where it’s at.
@Alan: apologies. Reply was to Larry Smiths hilarious joke.
@Alan: Exactly that. A JOKE. You wokists don’t have a sense of humour it seems.
@Kieran Conroy: That’s incorrect. Using the made-i up word ‘wokists’ is hilarious. Hilariously stu pid.
@Jack Hayes: Are you offended Jack? Oh dear, you appear to be a fully paid up member of the wokist club…
Yes. It’s called a date night.
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