An Post Irish Book Awards Shortlist 2025
Blog by: Úna Nic Cárthaigh
On a dark autumnal evening, a large crowd from the Irish literary world gathered in the GPO in anticipation of hearing the shortlist for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2025. The event was held in the main foyer of the historical building and the excitement was palpable to see who would be nominated in the different categories. Authors, broadcasters, publishers, illustrators and family gathered together enjoying the wine and canapés, with people being pulled here and there for photographs and videos. Some eagle-eyed attendees worked out the nominations for themselves by eyeing up the books on display on the stage. There were shrieks of joy and “congratulations!” as friends and colleagues recognised each other and clocked that the other had made a shortlist.
The Irish Book Awards Executive Director, Alastair Giles was the first to speak praising the breadth and depth of talent among Irish writers. The nominated books were then shown on two big screens as television & radio broadcaster Sinéad Ní Uallacháin’s voice rang out clear as a bell to announce the nominees in the nineteen categories.
The An Post Irish Book Awards are celebrating twenty years this year and it is the eighth year that Love Leabhar Gaeilge by Foras na Gaeilge have sponsored the Irish Language Fiction category. The four books to make that shortlist are: An Bhlaosc sa mBois by Micheál Ó Conghaile (Cló Iar-Chonnacht), Fiche by Colm Ó Ceallacháin (Leabhar Breac), Scéalta Nollag by Alan Titley (LeabhairCOMHAR) agus Bódléar by Darach Ó Scolaí (Leabhar Breac).
Displaying exactly that breadth and depth of talent that Alastair Giles mentioned, these four books cover a wide variety of topics from Christmas fables to a story based on the Mother and Baby Homes in Tuam to a dystopian love story based in Cork in the seventies. Alan Titley and Micheál Ó Conghaile were in attendance on the night and they were delighted and proud of the recognition for their books.
There was more cause for celebration of Irish language books however, when it was announced that Sadhbh Devlin’s An Fia sa Choill (Futa Fata) has been nominated in the Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Junior) category. This is an historical feat as it is the first Irish language book to be nominated in a category outside of the Irish Language category. Sadhbh was understandably ecstatic at the event and said she still can’t believe it! The illustrator, Anastasia Melnykova from Ukraine was also there on the night to see the fruits of her labour and it was certainly a proud moment for her to see her stunning artwork on display on the stage.
The Irish language was to the forefront in other categories as well with Hector Ó hEochagáin’s book An Irish Word a Day (Gill Books) and Manchán Magan’s Ninety-Nine Words for Rain (Gill Books) nominated in the Best Irish-Published Book category. The Gaeilge Guide by Mollie Guidera (Hachette Books) is nominated in The Last Word Listeners’ Choice Award category. The crowd gave an extra warm applause at the mention of Manchán Magan who sadly passed away earlier this month.
After the event I picked Alan Titley’s brain with some ‘This or That’ questions and asked him if he prefers to read one book at a time or lots of books. He replied ‘iliomad’ – several books at once – and he certainly won’t be stuck for choice as Irish language literature continues to go from strength to strength as was showcased in the GPO on Wednesday 22nd October.
A hearty congratulations to the authors, publishers and illustrators who have been nominated and I hope you enjoy the excitement of the coming weeks!
The public can now vote for their favourite books until Sunday 16th November. The winners will be announced on Thursday 27th November and the event broadcast on television on the 11th December.
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