TheJournal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year

Winner 2021

The Coastal Atlas of Ireland

By Robert Devoy, Val Cummins, Barry Brunt, Darius Bartlett & Sarah Kandrot

The Coastal Atlas of Ireland is a comprehensive and authoritative tribute to the Irish coast. With contributions from over one hundred scholars and experts in a range of diverse fields, from geography to biology to archaeology, geology, and history, the Atlas is the only single publication to explore the coast of Ireland as a whole, from both the physical and social perspectives. It features hundreds of original maps and beautiful illustrations, carefully selected to bring the text to life. The Atlas examines the importance of the coastal zone to Ireland across a range of themes, including tourism and recreation, fishing, aquaculture, energy, ports and linked industries. It explores these themes across both space and time, from the impacts of Quaternary glaciation on the Irish landscape to the future impacts of climate warming on coastal communities and Irish society. Visually stunning, accessible and an academic tour de force, the Atlas will resonate with everybody who has a connection to Ireland and anybody with an interest in coasts.

About Robert Devoy, Val Cummins, Barry Brunt, Darius Bartlett & Sarah Kandrot...

Robert Devoy is Professor of Geography (emeritus), University College Cork (UCC). His career is chiefly within the fields of coastal science, sea-level changes and coastal management. He was a lead member of the Nobel Prize-awarded Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR4 Working Group II and a reviewer in IPCC AR5 (2013–2014). He was formerly Head of the School of Geography, Archaeology and Planning in UCC. He is currently a member of the Climate Change National Adaptation Committee and continues to contribute to coastal research through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) project work.

Val Cummins has contributed over twenty years of expertise in the fields of coastal governance, ocean innovation and sustainability. She is currently working as a company director for the Simply Blue Group, focused on floating offshore wind development. Prior to that she was a senior lecturer and principal investigator in UCC, where she led the development of marine research capacity in Ringaskiddy. She has contributed to the UN World Ocean Assessment and served as Co-Chair of Future Earth Coasts for six years to 2020.

Barry Brunt is a former Head of Department and lecturer in the Geography Department, UCC, where he also co-ordinated integrated degree programmes in European Studies. His teaching and research involved economic geography; port systems and trade; regional development applied especially to Ireland; and the spatial implica­tions of European Union policies. He has published extensively in these areas. Currently, he is a research associate at the Geography Department, UCC and is an EU advisor in geography education.

Darius Bartlett is a research associate and retired lecturer in the Department of Geography, UCC, where he taught courses in Geographical Information Systems, physical geography and envi­ronmental issues. He has published five books on the application of geoinformatics to coastal issues, and on the management of environ­mental hazards.

Sarah Kandrot is an expert in the use of geoinformatics tech­nologies for coastal and marine applications. She has worked as a researcher and consultant on a range of projects in the areas of sus­tainability, renewable energy, climate, environmental management and coastal geomorphology. Formerly a postdoctoral researcher at MaREI, the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine at UCC, she is currently Head of Aerial Surveys at Green Rebel Marine.

Explore the 2021 winners

Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year
New Irish Writing Best Short Story in association with the Irish Independent
Listowel Writers' Week Poem of the Year
Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Junior)
Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Senior)
Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year
Ireland AM Popular Fiction Book of the Year
Eason Novel of the Year
RTÉ Audience Choice Award
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year
Eason Sports Book of the Year
Bookselling Ireland Food & Drink Book of the Year
Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year
Dubray Biography of the Year
WHSmith Non-Fiction Book of the Year
Gradam Love Leabhar Gaeilge Leabhar Ficsin Gaeilge na Bliana
Library Association of Ireland Author of the Year