Irish Book Awards 2023: Sally Rooney, Donal Ryan, and Graham Norton Take Home Top Honors

Sally Rooney, Graham Norton, Hector Ó hEochagáin, and Donal Ryan are winners at the An Post Irish Book Awards.

Hector Ó hEochagáin won Best Irish-Published Book for The Irish Words You Should Know. Graham Norton received the Ireland AM Popular Fiction Book of the Year for his book Frankie. Johnny Sexton was honored with the Eason Sports Book of the Year for his memoir Obsessed: The Autobiography.

Seán Ronayne won the Biography of the Year award for Nature Boy: A Journey of Birdsong and Belonging. The Bookselling Ireland Food & Drink Book of the Year went to Irish Food History: A Companion, edited by Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire and Dorothy Cashman. Little Acorns in Derry was awarded An Post Bookshop of the Year.

Martin Waddell received the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first children’s author to gain this recognition. He is known for Owl Babies and the Little Bear series.

The An Post Irish Book Awards, established in 2006, celebrate Irish writing talent. The award ceremony took place in the Convention Centre, Dublin. The Book of the Year winner will be announced on December 19 on RTÉ One.

Here is the list of award winners:

• Best Irish-Published Book of the Year: The Irish Words You Should Know – Hector Ó hEochagáin
• Biography of the Year: Nature Boy: A Journey of Birdsong and Belonging – Seán Ronayne
• History Book of the Year: Atlas of the Irish Civil War: New Perspectives – Hélène O’Keeffe and others
• Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Missing Persons, Or My Grandmother’s Secrets – Clair Wills
• Novel of the Year: Heart, Be at Peace – Donal Ryan
• Food & Drink Book of the Year: Irish Food History: A Companion – Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire & Dorothy Cashman
• Lifestyle Book of the Year: Gaeilge i Mo Chroí – Irish In My Heart – Molly Nic Céile
• Sports Book of the Year: Obsessed: The Autobiography – Johnny Sexton
• Children’s Book of the Year – Junior: The Golden Hare – Paddy Donnelly
• Children’s Book of the Year – Senior: Fia and the Last Snow Deer – Eilish Fisher
• Teen & Young Adult Book of the Year: Something’s About to Blow Up – Sam Blake
• Crime Fiction Book of the Year: A Stranger in the Family – Jane Casey
• Newcomer of the Year: The Coast Road – Alan Murrin
• Special Recognition Award: Paul Howard
• Listeners’ Choice Award: The Last Disco: The Story of the Stardust Tragedy – Sean Murray and others
• Best Short Story: "Valentine’s Day" – Kathleen Macadam
• Best Poetry: "’Onionskin’" – Eilín de Paor
• Bookshop of the Year: Little Acorns Bookstore, Derry

For more information on the An Post Irish Book Awards, visit here.