Cork authors among winners at An Post Irish Book Awards

A number of Cork authors took home top awards at the An Post Irish Book Awards announced this evening.

A Hug for You by David King, inspired by his son Adam and his virtual hug gesture that captured the hearts of the nation, was one of the books to win an award.

A Hug for You, illustrated by Rhiannon Archard, won the Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Junior) while Clinical Psychologist Maureen Gaffney and Cork crime writer Catherine Ryan Howard both took home accolades along with Laura De Barra.

Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year went to 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard while Bookstation Lifestyle Book of the Year went to Décor Galore by Laura De Barra. The RTÉ Audience Choice Award was presented to Maureen Gaffney for Your One Wild And Precious Life.

As well as this, a number of Cork-based UCC academics won TheJournal.ie Best Irish Published Book of the Year for The Coastal Atlas of Ireland which was the work of Val Cummins, Robert Devoy, Barry Brunt, Darius Bartlett, Sarah Kandrot.

Irish writer Sebastian Barry was the recipient of this year’s ‘Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award’ joining a host of other distinguished recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award including Colm Tóibín, Thomas Kinsella, John McGahern, John Montague, J.P. Donleavy, Paul Durcan, John Banville, Seamus Heaney, Maeve Binchy, Edna O’Brien, Jennifer Johnston, William Trevor, and Eavan Boland. 

John Treacy, Chairperson of the An Post Irish Book Awards, said the calibre of talent in Ireland was something to behold.

“We really are so lucky to have such marvellous writers in this country. We have so many promising young writers, more women writers than ever, writers representing minority and marginalised Irish communities, and this will only grow in the years to come.” 

David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, said now more than ever the power and beauty of well-written books can work wonders on mood and mind.

"As we continue to face down the greatest global challenge of our lifetime, the power of books and reading is much more evident, bringing escape, solace and satisfaction.” 

This year, over 187,500 votes were cast by the book-loving public to select the winners in each category. This is up 33% on 2020. 

Readers everywhere are now being invited to vote for their overall ‘An Post Irish Book of the Year’ at www.anpostirishbookawards.ie/vote. Voting opens today.  "(Wednesday 24 November)

The winner will be announced as part of a one-hour special on RTÉ One television on Wednesday December 8 exploring the six nominated books. All voters are also in with a chance of winning €100 worth of National Book Tokens.