Heaney honoured at book awards

Poet Seamus Heaney was tonight presented with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards.

The award was presented to the former Nobel prize laureate by the new President of Ireland Michael D Higgins.

The two have formed something of a mutual appreciation society. President Higgins described Heaney 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 and heightened,” he said.

Heaney, in turn, described President 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 President Bill Clinton paid a pre-recorded tribute to Heaney describing him as “one of the world’s favourite poets.” President Clinton 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,” he said.

Several writers with a close association 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. She described the award as a "huge honour".

Orla Tinsley's Salty Baby was nominated in the same category.

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'Cleary for his book Moscow, December 25 1991.

Columnist Paul Howard was nominated for his latest Ross O'Carroll-Kelly book Nama Mia! and contributor Anna Carey was nominated in the senior children's book category for The Real Rebecca.

The Hughes and Hughes Irish novel of the year went to the film director and novelist Neil Jordan for his book Mistaken.

The RTÉ Radio 1's The John Murray Show listeners' choice award went to Caitlín 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 and cyclist Nicolas Roche won the best sports book of the year for Inside the Peloton.