THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS took place earlier tonight – and saw poet Seamus Heaney presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award by the new President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.

Other Irish writers honoured at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards included Belinda McKeon, who won the Sunday Independent best Irish newcomer of the year for her novel, Solace, and Neil Jordan – who took home the Hughes and Hughes Irish novel of the year for Mistaken. Alan Glynn took the Ireland AM Crime Fiction Award for Bloodland.

The Specsavers Irish Children’s Book of the Year (Older Age Group) went to Anna Carey for The Real Rebecca, while the Younger Age Group prize was awarded to Chris Judge for The Lonely Beast.

Cyclist Nicolas Roche won the best sports book of the year for Inside the Peloton; Rachel Allen took home the best Irish non-fiction book for Easy Meals; and Sheila O’Flanagan scooped the Eason popular fiction book of the year.

The International Education Services Best Irish Published Book of the year went to Tim Robinson for Connemara, while The John Murray Show Listeners’ Choice Award went to Caitlin Moran for How to be a Woman.