Sally Rooney and Donal Ryan shortlisted for Costa Novel Award

Sally Rooney’s second book Normal People and Donal Ryan’s From A Low and Quiet Sea have been shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award, considered the most prestigious award for a novel open only to British and Irish writers.

Rooney, from Mayo, and Tipperary-born Ryan were both longlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize which was won by Belfast author Anna Burns for Milkman. Rooney was also named International Author of the Year at Britain’s Specsavers National Book Awards and all three Irish authors have been shortlisted for Novel of the Year at next Tuesday’s An Post Irish Book Awards.