These are the best Irish books of 2019 - which ones have you read?Getty Images
Which of these award-winning Irish books have you read?
The best Irish books of 2019 were named at the annual An Post Irish Book Awards which hosted in Dublin.
First awarded in 2006, the An Post Irish Book Awards showcase a diverse mix of exceptional writing from new and established writers across sixteen categories, with this year’s star-studded awards ceremony taking place in the Convention Centre Dublin. A host of Ireland’s leading writers, publishers, booksellers, and media personalities were all in attendance to see the winners claim their awards.
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Over 115,000 votes were cast this year by the public to select the winners in each category. Readers everywhere are now being invited to vote for their overall ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year’ online, with the winner to be announced in January.
We're still on a high from last night & feeling all the book love! ?
Here's some of our terrific winners- all in with a chance of winning An Post Irish Book of the Year!
Make sure to vote at https://t.co/TA3Dqb0ZSX - you could win €100 of @book_tokens!#APIBAS #ReadersWanted pic.twitter.com/7jHu6ROcUb
— An Post Irish Book Awards (@AnPostIBAS) November 21, 2019
Acclaimed Irish author and journalist Colm Tóibín received the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of the central position he has occupied in the cultural life of Ireland for over three decades, with works including “Brooklyn,” “The Master,” and “The Testament of Mary.”
Colm Toibin speaking at the 2014 New Yorker Festival (Getty Images)
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Maria Dickinson, the chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, said: “Every year the competition seems to get fiercer, and the bar raised even higher – and this year is no exception, as the quality of the award winners demonstrates. From fiction to non-fiction, poetry to Irish language writing, the winning titles reflect the varied and diverse reading tastes of the Irish public.
“Many of our winning authors reflect on contemporary or historical issues within Irish society, while others amuse, inspire and enthrall through fantastic story-telling. Both the winning authors and all our shortlisted titles are a terrific testament to the strength and vitality of Irish writing – and long may this continue.”
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An Post Irish Book Awards - The 2019 Winners
RTÉ Radio 1 Listeners’ Choice Award
Overcoming – Vicky Phelan with Naomi Linehan (Hachette Books)
Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year
Recovering – Richie Sadlier with Dion Fanning (Gill Books)
Avoca Cookbook of the Year
Cornucopia: The Green Cookbook – Tony Keogh, Aoife Carrigy, the Chefs of Cornucopia, Deirdre and Dairine McCafferty (Gill Books)
Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year
Cruel Acts – Jane Casey (HarperFiction)
Bookselling Ireland Non-Fiction Book of the Year
Constellations – Sinéad Gleeson (Picador)
TheJournal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year
Children of the Troubles – Joe Duffy and Freya McClements (Hachette Books Ireland)
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Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year
Tairngreacht – Proinsias Mac a’Bhaird (LeabhairComhar)
Dept51@Eason Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year
Other Words for Smoke – Sarah Maria Griffin (Titan Books)
Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year – Senior
Shooting for the Stars - My Journey to Become Ireland’s First Astronaut – Norah Patten, illustrated by Jennifer Farley (The O’Brien Press)
Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year – Junior
123 Ireland! – Aoife Dooley (Little Island Books)
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year
When All is Said – Anne Griffin (Hodder & Stoughton)
National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year
Once, Twice, Three Times an Aisling – Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen (Gill Books)
Listowel Writers’ Week Irish Poem of the Year
Salt Rain – Audrey Molloy (from Mslexia, September 2019)
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year Award
Parrot – Nicole Flattery (from The Stinging Fly, Issue 39, Volume 2, Winter 2018-19)
Ireland AM Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year
Barefoot Pilgrimage – Andrea Corr (HarperNonFiction)
Eason Novel of the Year
Shadowplay – Joseph O’Connor (Harvill Secker)
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Have you read any of the best Irish books of 2019? Tell us about them in the comments!