On November 22nd, at the annual An Post Irish Book Awards, held in Dublin Convention Centre the winners of the book awards were announced, with the Foras na Gaeilge, Irish Language Fiction Book of the Year award amongst them. This is the first year the Irish Language book category has shone a spotlight on Irish Language Fiction Books.

‘Imram agus scéalta eile’ by Róise Ní Bhaoill was awarded the title of ‘Irish Language Fiction Book of the Year. The author Ní Bhaoill from Rann na Feirste said, “I’m delighted to receive this award. It recognises not only my own work but that of other Irish language authors. My thanks to Foras na Gaeilge, to the judges and to the Irish language community. The award will sit proudly for spells in both Belfast and Rann na Feirste”.

‘Imram agus scéalta eile’ is a collection of short stories. We’re brought on many journeys, journeys of the mind, journeys to distant shores, to countries torn apart by conflict and change; but they are all journeys to the heart of humanity, where characters seek hopeful new lives and try to deal with situations that are beyond their control. In a world where the mass movement of populations gives rise to many injustices, humanity is at the very core of these stories. They are told in a considered and sharply observed style, with the storytelling tradition of Rann na Feirste finding its voice in contemporary Irish literature. [Éabhlóid]

One of the first to congratulate Ní Bhaoill on her award was, director of the publishing company Éabhlóid, Eoghan Mac Giolla Bríde, who published the winning book ‘Imram agus scéalta eile. “We’re absolutely delighted for Róise that she received this prestigious prize. Congratulations to her. It’s such an honour for us as publishers when a writer comes to us with such riveting and well written stories to publish. It’s worth noting too that Róise is the first female writer to take this prize and we wish her well’.

There were 5 books on this year's shortlist for, Irish Language Fiction Book of the Year Award, which was sponsored by Foras na Gaeilge. Foras na Gaeilge have been supporting the Irish language book category since 2018, their Bord Chairperson Regina Uí Chollatáin said: ‘This is a wonderful celebration of Irish language writing and publishing. It is a huge testament and acknowledgment of our writers and the breadth and depth of what they continue to achieve in all writing genres. Irish language writing is thriving!”

Shortlisted for this year’s award, were:
‘Imram agus scéalta eile’ by Róise Ní Bhaoill, published by Éabhlóid
‘Ceallach’ by Diarmuid Johnson, published by Leabhar Breac
‘Ag Dul i bhFad’ by Alan Titley, published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht
‘Béal na Péiste’ by Fionntán de Brún, published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht
‘Sa Pholl Báite’ by Anna Heussaff, published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht