Shades of a cast of thousands came to mind with the announcement of the extended Irish Book Awards shortlists, writes Eileen Battersby,Literary Correspondent
The contenders, which were announced yesterday in Dublin, are competing in nine categories, including a sports book award, popular fiction, readers' choices and prizes for senior and junior children's books. The idea behind the awards, which showcase Irish books, appears just that - all kinds of books bar, it appears, poetry and cookery - and no prize money.
The Hughes and Hughes Irish Novel of the Year sees two-time former Booker runner-up Pat McCabe shortlisted for Winterwoodin an interesting shortlist which includes Claire Kilroy's second novel, Tenderwire, John Connolly's The Book of Lost Thingsand John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, the films rights of which have already been bought by Disney. Boyne's novel has also been shortlisted in the senior children's category as well as in the Ryan Tubridy Showlisteners' choice shortlist.
The Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year shortlist is dominated by Tim Robinson's Connemara - Listening to the Wind. Published by Penguin Ireland, it is the first book in a proposed trilogy by Robinson, who established a singular place for himself as a prose writer with Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage in 1986, which was followed within a decade by Stones of Aran: Labyrinth.
Listening to the Windexplores west Connemara with an intriguingly intense combination of scholarship, lyricism and passion. It is the book to beat for Des Ekin's The Stolen Village, Jarlath Cunnane's Northaboutand a volume of reportage from RTÉ's Richard Downes, In Search of Iraq.
The Galaxy Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year could prove one of the toughest challenges yet met by former Booker Prize winner John Banville, whose alter-ego, Benjamin Black, sees his debut thriller Christine Fallsbattling it out with popular fiction genre veterans such as Maeve Binchy, as well as Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern. Banville's, or Black's, appearance on this shortlist is interesting considering that established and specialist thriller writer John Connolly is competing in the Novel of the Year category.
The Award for Irish Newcomer is likely to be won by Bucharest-based Philip Ó Ceallaigh's debut short story collection, Notes From A Turkish Whorehouse, which was published by Penguin Ireland. Two Irish Timesjournalists, Tom Humphries and Paddy Agnew, were shortlisted in the Club Energised Irish Sports Book of the Year category for strong studies on Dublin and Kerry GAA rivalry 1970s style and Italian football, respectively. They will be tested by one of the best sports memoirs yet written, Paul McGrath's powerfully candid Back From the Brink.
Boyne will have to deal with Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowlin the Dublin Airport Authority Senior Children's Book category, while Marie Louise Fitzpatrick's Silly Mummy, Silly Daddyheads the contenders for the Prize for Younger Readers.
The public will decide the Ryan Tubridy Show Listeners' Choice, in which US veteran John Updike's Terroristand Claire Messud's The Emperor's Childrencould challenge Irish writers such as Boyne and his category-defying The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
Eason is presenting an award to the Irish-Published Book of the Year. Among the challengers is Michael Smith's study of the explorer Tom Crean.
The overall winners in seven of the nine categories will be chosen through a voting process by a panel of 60 individuals including literature enthusiasts, publishing executives, retailers, literary journalists and previously shortlisted authors.
Two categories, the Ryan Tubridy ShowListeners' Choice and the Galaxy Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year, will involve a public vote. People can pick up ballot cards in bookshops.Irish Novel of the Year
Irish Novel of the Year
(sponsored by Hughes & Hughes)
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamasby John Boyne (David Fickling)
The Book of Lost Thingsby John Connolly (Hodder)
Tenderwireby Claire Kilroy (Faber)
Winterwoodby Patrick McCabe (Bloomsbury)
Irish Non-fiction Book of the Year
(sponsored by Argosy)
Northabout by Jarlath Cunnane (Collins Press)
In Search of Iraqby Richard Downes (New Island)
The Stolen Villageby Des Ekin (O'Brien Press)
Connemara by Tim Robinson (Penguin Ireland)
Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year
(sponsored by Galaxy, public vote)
A Place Called Hereby Cecelia Ahern (Harper Collins)
Whitethorn Woodsby Maeve Binchy (Orion)
Christine Fallsby Benjamin Black (Picador)
Anybody Out There byMarian Keyes (Poolbeg)
From Here to Maternityby Sinead Moriarty
(Penguin Ireland)
Should Have Got Off At Sydney Paradeby Ross O'Carroll Kelly (Penguin Ireland)
Irish Sports Book of the Year
(sponsored by Club Energise Sport)
Forza Italiaby Paddy Agnew (Ebury)
Every Single Ballby Brian Corcoran (Mainstream)
Dublin v Kerryby Tom Humphries (Penguin Ireland)
Back From The Brinkby Paul McGrath (Century)
Irish Newcomer of the Year
Forgetby Ruth Gilligan (Hodder Headline)
Pack Up The Moonby Anna McPartlin (Poolbeg)
Notes from a Turkish Whorehouse by Philip Ó Ceallaigh (Penguin Ireland)
The Goddess Guideby Gisele Scanlon (Harper Collins)
Irish-Published Book of the Year
(sponsored by Eason)
Vanishing Irelandby Turtle Bunbury and
James Fennell(Hodder Headline)
Irish Times Book of 1916 Risingby Fintan O'Toole & Shane Hegarty (Gill & Macmillan)
Tom Crean: An Illustrated Lifeby Michael Smith (Collins Press)
Lifelines(ed. Town House)
Tubridy Show Listeners' Choice Award
(public vote)
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamasby John Boyne (David Fickling)
The God Delusionby Richard Dawkins(Bantam)
Winterwoodby Patrick McCabe (Bloomsbury)
The Emperor's Childrenby Claire Messud (Picador)
Q&Aby Vikas Swarup (Transworld)
Terroristby John Updike (Hamish Hamilton)
Irish Children's Book of the Year:
(sponsored by the Dublin Airport Authority)
JUNIOR -
Silly Mummy Silly Daddyby Maire Louise Fitzpatrick (Frances Lincoln)
The Incredible Book-Eating Boyby Oliver Jeffers (Harper Collins)
Irish Tales of Mystery and Imaginationby Eddie Lenihan (Mercier)
I'm a Happy Hugglewugby Niamh Sharkey (Walker)
SENIOR-
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamasby John Boyne (David Fickling)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colonyby Eoin Colfer (Puffin)
Something Invisibleby Siobhán Parkinson (Puffin)
Demon Thiefby Darren Shan (Harper Collins)