THE SHORTLIST for the annual Kate O’Brien Award has been announced, with the overall winner to be crowned during the Limerick Literary Festival next month.
Three novels have been shortlisted for the award, which honour debut works from an outstanding Irish female author.
Featuring on this year’s shortlist are Katherine O’Donnell with her book Slant, Aoife Fitzpatrick with her novel The Red Bird Sings, and The Last Days of Joy by Anne Tiernan.
The winner will be announced at the 40th annual Limerick Literary Festival, which will take place from February 23 to 25.
The event continues to honour the life and works of legendary Limerick author Kate O’Brien, while attracting prominent participants from all over the world.
Building on this significant history, the Limerick Literary Festival seeks to promote the Treaty nationally as a place of literary excellence and to provide a platform where readers can meet their favourite authors and other readers.
Shortlist judge Vivienne McKechnie said that “this year, once again, it was wonderful to read the debut books by Irish female writers and we are delighted with our shortlist which is made up of three well written, interesting, and very engaging novels”.
“We look forward to a lively discussion with the shortlisted authors at the festival in a special event on Sunday 25 February. This is an opportunity to meet these writers at the beginning of their careers and to listen to their stories,” Ms McKechnie said.
The judges for this year’s award are festival committee member Marie Hackett, writer and critic Niall MacMonagle, poet and festival committee member Vivienne McKechnie, writer and children’s book buyer for Kenny’s Bookshop Grainne O’Brien, and award-winning local novelist Donal Ryan.
The winner of the Kate O’Brien award will receive a €2,000 prize, sponsored by Bill and Denise Whelan.
