Irish Book Awards shortlist announced

Cecelia Ahern, Maeve Binchy and Paul McGrath are among those shortlisted for this year's Irish Book Awards.

Cecelia Ahern

The awards have grown to nine categories this year, and will be announced in March.

Candidates for the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year include The Boy in the Striped Pyjamasby John Boyne; The Book of Lost Thingsby John Connolly; Tenderwireby Claire Kilroy; and Winterwoodby Patrick McCabe.

The Irish Times Book of 1916 Risingby Fintan O'Toole and Shane Hegarty is a contender for the Eason Irish Published Book of the Year award, facing competition from Tom Crean: An Illustrated Lifeby Michael Smith, Vanishing Irelandby Turtle Bunbury and James Fennell, and Lifelines.

Meanwhile, Irish Timeswriter Paddy Agnew's Forza Italiahas been nominated for the Club Energise Sport Irish Sports Book of the Year, along with Every Single Ballby Brian Corcoran, Dublin V's Kerryby Tom Humphries and Back From The Brinkby Paul McGrath.

Cecilia Ahern and Maeve Binchy are in competition for the Galaxy Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year, which is one of the two categories that are put to a public vote. The remainder of the awards are decided by a panel of judges. Other authors in the category include Marian Keyes, Sinead Moriarty and Benjamin Black.

The second category to go to public vote is the RTÉ Radio 1's the Tubridy ShowListeners' Choice Award. Nominees include: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamasby John Boyne; The God Delusionby Richard Dawkins; Winterwoodby Patrick McCabe; The Emperor's Childrenby Claire Messud; Q&Aby Vikas Swarup; and Terroristby John Updike.

"The Irish Book Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the wealth of writing talent we have in Ireland. The Irish Book Awards are also major development for the Irish book industry as this year represents the first year that the entire book trade has come together to develop an industry wide event," said Alastair Giles, executive director of The Irish Book Awards.

"It is a major stepping stone for the industry and a very welcome one."

The remaining categories and nominees are:

• The Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Northaboutby Jarlath Cunnane; In search of Iraqby Richard Downes; The Stolen Villageby Des Ekin; Connemaraby Tim Robinson.
• Irish Newcomer of the Year Award: Forgetby Ruth Gilligan; Pack Up The Moonby Anna McPartlin; Notes from a Turkish Whorehouseby Philip O'Ceallaigh; The Goddess Guideby Gisele Scanlon.
• The Dublin Airport Authority Irish Children's Book of the Year: Junior: Silly Mummy Silly Daddyby Maire Louise Fitzpatrick; The Incredible Book-eating Boyby Oliver Jeffers; Irish Tales of Mystery and Imaginationby Eddie Lenihan; I'm a Happy Hugglewugby Niamh Sharkey. Senior: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamasby John Boyne; Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colonyby Eoin Colfer; Something Invisibleby Siobhan Parkinson; Demon Thiefby Darren Shan.

The Lifetime Achievement in Irish Literature will be decided by the Irish Literary Academy.