Eight Irish authors in longlist for top literary prize
Eight Irish authors are among the 154 on the longlist for the world’s richest literary prize – the highest ever number.
Libraries worldwide have nominated the writers for the €100,000 International Impac Dublin Literary Award, alongside 43 American, 22 British and 12 Canadian novels.
Belfast-born author Jane Gillespie has been nominated for her debut novel, 'The Map of Time'.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Naoise O Muiri, patron of the award, commended its promotion of excellence in world literature and the opportunity to promote Irish writing internationally.
“This is the highest number of translated novels, first novels and novels by Irish authors to be nominated, since the Impac Dublin Award’s inception in 1996,” he said.
“Like every year you will find new books and new authors, particularly those novels in translation that you might otherwise never come across and you can pit yourself against the international panel of judges and pick your own favourite novel.”
The nominated Irish titles are:
* 'On Canaan’s Side' by Sebastian Barry, nominated by San Diego Public Library, USA and by Dublin City Public Libraries, Ireland.
* 'City of Bohane' by Kevin Barry, nominated by Cork City Libraries, Limerick City Library and Dublin City Public Libraries.
* 'The Absolutist' by John Boyne, nominated by Liverpool City Library & Information Services, UK and Tampere City Library, Finland.
* 'The Dulang Washer' by Paul Callan, nominated by The National Library of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpar.
* 'Long Time, No See' by Dermot Healy nominated by Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek, Norway and The Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow, Russia.
* 'Cold Eye of Heaven' by Christine Dwyer Hickey, nominated by Bergen Offentlige Bibliotek, Norway
* 'Twice Born' by (Irish/Italian) author Margaret Mazzantini, nominated by Waterford County Library, Ireland and by Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma, Italy.
* 'Double Talk' by Patrick Warner (now living in Canada), nominated by The Provincial Resource Library, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.
The award is organised by Dublin City Public Libraries.
The favourite for the award is 2011 Man Booker prize winner and the most nominated book, The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, with 15 nominations.
The shortlist for the Impac award will be announced on April 9 next year with the winner being announced on June 6.
Previous Irish winners were 'Let the Great World Spin' by Colum McCann in 2011, and in 2006, 'The Master' by Colm Toibin.
