NEED TO PICK up some books for loved ones for Christmas?
Here are the best books in Ireland for 2015, according to tonight’s Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2015.
The winners
Renowned Irish American novelist JP Donleavy was presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award. Adding his congratulations to his friend “Mike” Donleavy by video-link was Hollywood megastar Johnny Depp, who is producing and reportedly starring in a film version of Donleavy’s 1955 novel The Ginger Man.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the star-studded awards ceremony took place in Dublin’s Double Tree Hilton and was attended by Ireland’s top writers, publishers, booksellers and media personalities including novelists Kevin Barry, Paul Murray and Belinda McKeon, broadcasters and writers Ryan Tubridy, Sinead Crowley, Diarmuid Ferriter and Matt Cooper, food writers Donal Skehan, Diana Henry and Trish Deseine, writers Paul Howard, Martina Devlin, Carlo Gebler, Roisin Ingle, and Derek Landy.
Over 45,000 votes were cast in the awards and voting for the book of the year will remain open until 17 December.
Eason Novel of the Year:
The Green Road by Anne Enright
TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year:
The Long Gaze: An Anthology of Irish Women Writers edited by Sinead Gleeson
Specsaver’s Children’s Book of the Year (Junior):
Imaginary Fred by Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers
Specsaver’s Children’s Book of the Year (Senior):
Asking For It by Louise O’Neill
Avonmore Cookbook of the Year:
The Virtuous Tart by Susan Jane White
Ireland AM Crime Book of the Year:
After the Fire by Jane Casey
Irish Independent Popular Fiction Book of the Year:
The Way We Were by Sinead Moriarty
National Book Tokens Non-Fiction Book of the Year:
Children of the Rising by Joe Duffy
Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year:
Until Victory Always: A Memoir by Jim Mc Guinness
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year:
Spill Simmer Falter Wither by Sara Baume
Books Are My Bag Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year:
Me and My Mate Jeffrey by Niall Breslin
RTÉ Radio 1′s The Ryan Tubridy Show Listeners’ Choice Award:
Irelandopedia by Fatti and John Burke
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year:
A Slanting of the Sun by Donal Ryan (A Slanting of the Sun)
Brendan Corbett, Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards Chairperson, said:
“With these awards, one thing never changes and that is the seemingly limitless creativity of Irish writers.
“We know that every year we will be guaranteed fantastic books to choose from and that there will be great work from experienced writers and always fresh talent bursting through to challenge them as the list of winners shows.”
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