RONAN McGREEVY
Fri, Nov 18, 2011
SEAMUS HEANEY picked up another honour, this time from the President and fellow poet Michael D Higgins, at last night’s Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards.
The two men paid warm tributes to each other as Heaney picked up the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mr Higgins described the Nobel Prize laureate as a “man who truly understands the Irish people and their historical landscape”.
“By delving into the images and memories of a rural Irish childhood, he weaves a journey back to our future selves and the scenery of new truths,” he said.
Heaney, in turn, described Mr Higgins as the “president of the republic of conscience, president of the republic of letters and the President of the Republic of Ireland”, and also a fine poet in his own right.
Both men alluded to the loss of confidence brought about by the implosion of the economic bubble.
Heaney said writers had a detached attitude to the “forms of success that have failed spectacularly and disastrously.
“We have seen how little it profited so many men to gain the whole world.”
There was a surprise from another president when Bill Clinton paid a pre-recorded tribute to Heaney, describing him as “one of the world’s favourite poets”.
The former US president joked that he even called his dog Seamus after Heaney.
“Your poetry has been a gift to the people of Ireland and to the world and a gift to me in difficult times,” Mr Clinton said.
The Hughes & Hughes Irish novel of the year went to film director and novelist Neil Jordan for his book Mistaken.
RTÉ Radio 1’s The John Murray Show Listeners’ Choice Award went to Caitlin Moran for her memoir How To Be a Woman .
Celebrity chef Rachel Allen won the best Irish non-fiction book for Easy Meals , the popular fiction book of the year went to Sheila O’Flanagan for All for You , while cyclist Nicolas Roche won the best sports book of the year for Inside the Peloton .
Several writers closely associated with The Irish Times were either nominated or won awards last night.
Solace by Belinda McKeon won the Sunday Independent best Irish newcomer of the year award. She described the award as a “huge honour”.
Orla Tinsley’s Salty Baby was nominated in the same category.
Contributor Anna Carey won in the senior children’s book category for T he Real Rebecca .
The National Newspapers of Ireland journalist of the year Simon Carswell was nominated for best non-fiction book of the year, as was former foreign correspondent Conor O’Clery for his book Moscow, December 25, 1991 .
Irish Times columnist Paul Howard was nominated for his latest Ross O’Carroll-Kelly book, Nama Mia!
Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards 2011: WINNERS
Irish Novel of the Year : Mistaken by Neil Jordan (John Murray)
RTÉ Radio 1’s The John Murray Show Listeners’ Choice Award: How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (Ebury)
Irish Crime Fiction Book of the Year : Bloodland by Alan Glynn (Faber)
Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Easy Meals by Rachel Allen (Collins)
Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year : All For You by Sheila O’Flanagan (Headline)
Irish Sports Book of the Year: Inside the Peloton by Nicolas Roche (Transworld Ireland)
Irish Bookshop of the Year: Crannóg Bookshop, Cavan town
Best Irish Newcomer of the Year: Solace by Belinda McKeon (Picador)
Best Irish Published Book of the Year: Connemara: A Little Gaelic Kingdom by Tim Robinson (Penguin Ireland)
Irish Children’s Book of the Year: Junior: The Lonely Beast by Chris Judge (Andersen Press)
Senior: The Real Rebecca by Anna Carey (O’Brien)
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© 2011 The Irish Times