Kevin Barry, Jamie Heaslip, Donal Skehan and Andrea Corr are just some of the people shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards

The two drivers who died in the fatal road smash which claimed three lives in west Limerick on Thursday evening were both retired nurses, it has emerged.

The three women who died in the crash in Co Limerick have been named locally.

Ballykissangel fuelled a romantic notion of Ireland for Thomas Morris so, at 16, he left Wales to find himself an Irish woman, writes Colette Sheridan. 

The Indian-American novelist Akhil Sharma has won the International Dublin Literary Award for his second novel, Family Life. He is the 21st winner of the €100,000 prize.

It may have changed name from the Impac, but the International Dublin Literary Award is still one of the most lucrative in the world. Alan O’Riordan reveals the shortlist for the €100,000 prize

Ten novels have been shortlisted for the 2016 International Dublin Literary Award.

A special edition of The Stinging Fly journal may look back to 1916, but it really reflects the rude health of modern Irish literature, writes Marjorie Brennan

The longlist for the International DUBLIN Literary Award has been announced with seven Irish novels among the 160 titles that have been nominated by libraries worldwide.

Publisher turned author Thomas Morris talks to Tony Clayton-Lea about the joy and challenges of becoming a writer — and sibling rivalry as a wonderful motivating force.

Sara Baume has never found writing easy, but a slew of awards have been apt reward for her toil, writes Colette Sheridan.

The HSE has apologised in the High Court to the family of an 8-year-old boy who was brain-damaged at birth at Kerry General Hospital and who yesterday settled his legal action with a €2.8m interim payout.

There’s no short cut to writing a bestseller.

It was an itch that would not go away and in the end Mary Costello could not help becoming a writer, a very good one at that. She spoke to Sue Leonard about her debut novel has come garlanded with high praise.

IN the year that the Cork writer Patrick Galvin died, my own Patrick Galvin was also in his final days. My father wasn’t distinguished or a man of letters: he had worked in the factories of Coventry from his early 30s, as a machinist, been widowed young and raised two daughters.

Forensic Songs

Mary Costello

THERE was some irony for Leaving Certificate French students who were asked on the higher level exam to discuss the virtues of video refereeing in sport.

NICOLAS ROCHE (Ag2r) will wear the Irish road race champion’s jersey to the start of the Tour de France in Monaco next weekend although he was still awaiting confirmation from his team last night following his exciting victory in the Elite Road Race championship at Dunboyne yesterday.

IT WAS described as the most bird-brained crime ever carried out in Limerick. But yesterday the only one behind bars was the distraught victim.

Construction workers have begun removing the steel skeleton of a contaminated skyscraper next to the World Trade Centre site, the most visible sign yet that the building is coming down.

Carlow captured the first national title of the week The National Finals of the AA Insurance take place at Headfort Golf Club with a 2-1 win against Limerick.

THE CONNACHT Tribune has taken sole control of the Galway Bay FM for a multi-million euro sum.

TWO of the country’s biggest regional newspapers have had mixed fortunes.