Cast of characters named for the ‘biggest celebration of Irish writing’

The shortlists for “the biggest celebration of Irish writing” was announced yesterday.

The Bord Gáis Irish Books Awards are now in their eighth year, and the shortlists, compiled by a panel of industry experts, cover a spectrum from literature and crime to sport, cookery, children’s literature, and memoir. There’s a new category this year, for short stories.

The list includes names such as Roddy Doyle, Eamon Dunphy, Frank McGuinness, Jennifer Saunders, and Colum McCann.