INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed author Billy O’Callaghan has been named Cork Person of the Month for April.

The critically acclaimed Douglas-based author has been honoured with the April Cork Person of the Month Award.

The author is a recipient of multiple awards including the Bord Gáis Energy Book Award and was twice a recipient of the Arts Council of Ireland’s Bursary Award for Literature. Among numerous other honours, his story, The Boatman, was a finalist for the 2016 Costa Short Story Award.

Billy O’Callaghan’s collections of short stories and novels have achieved international acclaim and his work has been translated into a dozen languages.

His short stories collections include In Exile, In Too Deep, The Things We Lose, The Things We Leave Behind and The Boatman.

He is the author of the critically acclaimed novel My Coney Island Baby, which has been translated into a number of different languages.

Billy O’Callaghan's latest novel, 'Life Sentences', was published by Jonathan Cape earlier this year. It is based on three generations of his own family, who were blighted by famine, war and loss.

The novel is an immersive story of an Irish family set in Douglas Village, where Mr O’Callaghan’s family lived for generations.

Life Sentences is partly based on the stories the writer was told by his family and includes truth and lived experience.

Amongst its fans are best-selling author Anne Griffin, and RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy who said that 'Life Sentences' was his Book of the Year.

Speaking about the writer, Booker Prize-winning author John Banville said that Mr O’Callaghan has an international reputation.

“[Billy] richly reserves an international reputation. The writer is the real thing.

“He is one of the finest writers in the tradition of John McGahern and Brian Friel,” added Mr Banville.

Speaking about Billy’s success, awards organiser Manus O’Callaghan said:

“Billy’s work has achieved rave reviews from top literature luminaries Robert Olen Butler, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and New York Times bestselling author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas John Boyne.

“Billy’s other books, The Boatman and My Coney Island Baby have also achieved literary acclaim around the world. We’re excited to celebrate Billy’s national and international success with the April Cork Person of the Month Award.” 

Billy O’Callaghan’s name now goes forward for possible selection as Cork Persons of the Year at the annual Gala Awards Lunch on 21 January 2022.

Each month a Person or Persons of the Month are selected and at the year’s end, the Cork Person of the Year is chosen from these monthly winners.

The Cork Person of the Month and Cork Person of the Year Awards Scheme was established in 1993 and covers Cork City and Cork County.

Last month, human rights activists Roos Demol and Breda Keane Shortt were honoured with the Award for their efforts to support migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and those in direct provision.