Book Awards set to become final word on literature titles

IT MAY seem that there are more literary prizes than great works of literature these days, but a new Irish award looks to have the potential to become a popular and permanent fixture.

The shortlist for the inaugural Irish Book Awards has just been announced - three separate categories, with six authors shortlisted in each category and the winners to be announced at a gala awards ceremony in March - and includes some heavyweight names.

Each of the categories - Irish Novel of the Year; Irish Non-fiction Book of the Year; and Irish Children’s Book of the Year - has some very strong candidates, including Booker winner John Banville for Novel of the Year, John McGahern for the non-fiction award and children’s Whitbread prize winner Kate Thompson in the children’s book category.