THE ANNUAL An Post Irish Book Awards took place in Dublin yesterday evening, and there were some very deserving winners across the board.
The Corrs singer Andrea Corr won the Ireland AM Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year with her memoir Barefoot Pilgrimage, an intimate read which touches on everything from the death of her father to the band's rise to fame, interspersed with family photographs throughout.
Another high-profile winner was patient advocate Vicky Phelan, whose brilliant memoir Overcoming, which details her life, her cancer diagnosis and her battle for the HSE and Irish government to be held accountable, won the RTE Radio 1 Listener's Choice Award.
Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen won the National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of The Year with the third installation of their (incredibly popular) Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling series, aptly titled Once, Twice, Three Times an Aisling.
The Eason Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year went to author Sarah Maria Griffin for her acclaimed novel Other Words For Smoke, and the Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year went to Tairngreacht by Proinsias Mac a'Bhaird.
If you've read any of the winning books you'll agree that the wins are absolutely well-deserved-- and if you haven't, the annual awards are brilliant for picking gift ideas for Christmas!
The full list of winners are below:
Easons Novel of the Year: Shadowplay by Joseph O'Connor
Ireland AM Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Barefoot Pilgrimage by Andrea Corr
Writing.ie Short Story of the Year: Parrot by Nicole Flattery
Listowel Writers' Week Irish Poem of the year: Salt Rain by Audrey Molloy
National Book Tokens Popular Fiction Book of the Year: Once, Twice, Three Times an Aisling by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen
Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year: When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
Specsavers Children's Book of the Year, Junior: 123 Ireland by Aoife Dooley
Specsavers Chlidren's Book of the Year, Senior: Shooting for the Stars by Norah Patten
Dept 51 @ Eason Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year: Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin
Love Leabhar Gaeilge Irish Language Book of the Year: Taingreacht by Proinsias Mac a'Bhaird
TheJournal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year: Children of the Troubles by Joe Duffy and Freya McClements
Bookselling Ireland Non-Fiction Book of the year: Constellations by Anne Enright
Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year: Cruel Acts by Jane Casey
Avoca Cookbook of the Year: The Green Cookbook by Cornucopia Restaurant, Dublin
Bord Gáis Energy Sports Book of the Year: Recovering by Richie Sadlier
RTE Radio 1 Listeners' Choice Award: Overcoming by Vicky Phelan
