John Connolly and Christine Dwyer Hickey among winners at Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards

Culture
29 Nov 17

A huge night for Irish writing saw established writers such as Bernard McLaverty, Marian Keyes, John Connolly picking up awards, while new talent was also honoured at the event.

Two previous Hot Press 'Write Here, Write Now' judges - John Connolly ad Christine Dwyer Hickey - picked up gongs at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards last night. Connolly won the RTÉ Radio 1’s The Ryan Tubridy Show Listener’s Choice Award for he: A Novel, and Hickey won the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year Award for Back To Bones.

Eavan Boland was presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award, while bestselling children’s author and broadcaster David Walliams picked up the Bord Gáis Energy International Recognition Award - a special award made to international authors who have contributed substantially "to the health and wealth of the Irish book-trade".

The ceremony, which is in its 12th year, took place in Dublin’s Clayton Hotel. According to RTÉ , among the Irish writers, publishers and booksellers who attended were Sinéad Moriarty, John Banville, Roddy Doyle, Eoin Colfer and Ross O’Carroll Kelly writer Paul Howard.

Roz Purcell, Ryan Tubridy, Vogue Williams and Caitríona Perry, food writers Rory O’ Connell, Rachel Allen and Neven Maguire, and sports stars Shay Given, Philly Mc Mahon, and Colm Cooper were also in attendance.

The highlights of the Awards ceremony will be broadcast on RTÉ One at 9:30pm on Wednesday, November 29.

See the full list of winners below.

TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year

Atlas of the Irish Revolution - John Crowley, Donál Ó Drisceoil, Mike Murphy and John Borgonovo (Cork University Press)

National Book Tokens Children’s Book of the Year (Junior)

A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea - Favourite Rhymes from an Irish Childhood - Sarah Webb illustrated by Steve Mc Carthy (The O’ Brien Press)

National Book Tokens Children’s Book of the Year (Senior)

Stand by Me - Judi Curtin (The O’ Brien Press)

Dept 51@Eason Teen/Young Adult Book of the Year

Tangleweed and Brine - Deirdre Sullivan illustrated by Karen Vaughan (Little Island)

Eason Book Club Novel of the Year

Midwinter Break - Bernard MacLaverty (Jonathan Cape)