THE €15,000 Kerry Group fiction award at the annual Listowel Writers' Week has been won by the book currently being read by US president Barack Obama – Netherland,by Joseph O'Neill.
The five-day festival, now in its 39th year, was attended by O’Neill (45). The author, who lives in Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel, is originally from Cork city and his family has strong west Cork connections. He had been working as a barrister in London and New York for many years but since 2002 has been writing full-time.
Officially launched by actor Gabriel Byrne, the festival this year will hear from John Montague, Colm Tóibín, Giles Foden, David Park, Peter Murphy, Eamon Keane, Sheila O’Flanagan and George Kimball.
The packed programme will also include Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame), Jung Chang, Damon Galgut, Rebecca Miller, Dr Ivor Browne, Carol Drinkwater and James Kelman.
Netherlandis a work described by the New York Timesas "the wittiest, angriest, most exacting and most desolate work of fiction" about the city following the World Trade Center collapse.
Set in New York and London, the novel tells the story of a Dutchman turning to cricket as an escape from his isolation.
The writer, who flew in from New York to be at the prize ceremony, last night remarked: “I suddenly understand what it is to be red-eyed. I have red eyes today.” He told the gathering he was “delighted and thrilled” at the award, especially as he had learned how to play his other sporting passion, golf, at nearby Ballybunion golf links.
O’Neill, who plays the “unlikely” game of cricket in New York, also remarked that there was a strong tradition of cricket in Irish writing.
He “distinctly” remembered the cricket passages by James Joyce, particularly, and also by Samuel Beckett.
He has written two previous novels, along with a memoir. The Listowel prize is his first major Irish prize.
The adjudicators for the Kerry Group fiction award were Niall MacMonagle and Giles Foden.
The shortlist of novels also included The Secret Scriptureby Sebastian Barry, Molly Fox's Birthdayby Deirdre Madden, Disguiseby Hugo Hamilton and John the Revelatorby Peter Murphy.
Festival chairman Mike Lynch paid tribute to David Marcus, who passed away recently. Marcus was a former president of writers’ week and champion for almost 70 years of the emerging Irish writer, Mr Lynch said.