Some of the great names in Irish literature have been included on the shortlists for the IBAS 2009.

31-Mar-2009

Seamus Heaney, Sebastian Barry, Kathryn Thomas, Ronan O’Gara, Rachel Allen and Ross O Carroll Kelly among shortlisted authors for 4th annual Irish Book Awards


Irish fiction queens Cathy Kelly, Maeve Binchy, Cecelia Ahern, Patricia Scanlan and Marian Keyes go head to head for‘Eason Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year’



Tuesday, March 31st 2009 For Immediate Release


The shortlists for the Irish Book Awards 2009 have been announced today and feature an extraordinarily eclectic mix of authors including major literary figures like Seamus Heaney, Sebastian Barry, Maeve Binchy and Cecelia Ahern alongside famous names from the world of entertainment and sport including
Rachel Allen, Kathryn Thomas, Ross O Carroll Kelly and Ronan O’Gara.

This is the 4th year of The Irish Book Awards, which are dedicated to honouring Ireland’s literary talent across the entire publishing spectrum. It is the only industry wide event of its kind in the history of the Irish book sector and no other literary awards in Ireland cover as broad and varied a range of categories as the Irish Book Awards.

There are ten categories in the Irish Book Awards 2009, including the introduction this year of the ‘Ireland AM Irish Crime Fiction Book of the Year’ category, which celebrates the explosion of Irish crime writing in recent times. The Irish Book Awards are open to all Irish authors who had a book published during the last 12 months.

One of the categories which will attract much focus is the ‘Eason Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year’ which sees Irish fiction queens Cathy Kelly, Maeve Binchy, Cecelia Ahern, Patricia Scanlan and Marian Keyes go head to head for the title.

This year, for the first time, the overall winners in nine of the ten categories will be chosen by a public vote, in conjunction with the Irish Literary Academy. The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony which will take place in The Round Room at the Mansion House, Dawson St, Dublin 2 on Wednesday, May 6th 2009.

The shortlists for the Irish Book Awards 2009 emerged from a ballot of over 400 Irish booksellers and librarians throughout the country. Members of the public will now bw invited to vote for the winners in each
category on the Irish Book Awards website <http://www.irishbookawards.ie/>
www.irishbookawards.ie or via RTÉ Radio 1’s The Tubridy Show website and TV3’s Ireland AM website. In addition, every vote cast affords the voter entry to a draw to win up to €750 worth of National Book Tokens.

In-store promotions will begin throughout the country this weekend and a FREE Irish Book Awards 2009 magazine will be available to the public so that they can learn more about the nominated authors in each category.

Alastair Giles, Executive Director, Irish Book Awards, says:

“The cornerstones of the Irish Book Awards are diversity and inclusivity. Authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and now general readers all make important contributions in helping to select the best Irish books of the year. More than ever before, Irish writing boasts tremendous
strength-in-depth across the genres. Many of the great names of Irish literature are represented, and we are also delighted to introduce a new
category in the form of the Ireland AM Crime Fiction Award. Truly, Ireland is a country where the written word still really matters.”

Fergal Stanley, Chairman of the Irish Book Awards, says:

“The Irish Book Awards is the first multi-category, industry-wide awards project in the history of the Irish book sector. After a period of dramatic expansion and development, we are proud to showcase a rich and diverse
selection of Irish writing in 2009. Even in these difficult times, nothing represents value for money better than a book and we’re more than pleased to say that a recession doesn’t stop Irish authors writing great books.”

The Irish Book Awards 2009 are sponsored by The Sunday Independent, Eason,
Dublin Airport Authority, Energise Sport, Argosy, Ireland AM, Hughes &
Hughes, International Education Services, National Book Tokens and The
Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1.


For further information or to purchase tickets to the Irish Book Awards
ceremony log on to the Irish Book Awards website,
<http://www.irishbooksawards.ie/> www.irishbooksawards.ie.