Author on the pig’s back after award

AN Ennis author has scooped a major award in a prestigious national children’s book writing competition.
Bob Burke won €3,000 and a specially commissioned glass sculpture after he was presented with the coveted Eilís Dillon Award at the 20th Bisto Children’s Book of the Year Awards for his first book, The Third Pig Detective Agency.

The Crecora-based author travelled to the awards ceremony in the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin recently looking forward to an enjoyable day out but was totally surprised when his name was called as one of the main winners.
“There is still an air of unreality about it all. I was completely surprised when my name was called out, which made the award all the sweeter. It shows you don’t have to be based in Dublin or London to win an award.
“Everyone has a story to tell if they have the time to do so. If you have a bit of luck, you could end up winning an award,” he said.
The award recognises talent in the field of children’s literature by Irish authors or authors living in Ireland. Previous winners include Roddy Doyle, Kate Thompson, Oliver Jeffres and F E Higgins.
Born and reared in Ennis, Bob’s parents Bobby and Nancy ensured there were always plenty of books in the house.
His father, Bobby, is well known in the town, having served as the first principal of Scoil Chriost Rí, Cloughleigh in 1978 and working as a Fianna Fáil county and town councillor. He was also involved with Clare VEC.
Bob attended the CBS primary and secondary school and joined the Civil Service after leaving school.
The 49-year-old father-of-three completed a degree in computer science and started working in information technology.
He moved to Dublin with his family and years later moved back to Shannon, where he worked in Tellabs.
Having moved to work as an information technology manager in Dell, he started writing and decided to opt for voluntary redundancy to make a clean break after nine years.
A day after deciding to opt for the redundancy, a publisher called him expressing an interest in his book.
He found his eldest son Ian (15) a great help when it came to deciding what gags worked in his first book.
Bob is also working on a horror novel – Werewolf Rising – targeted at the same readership as Darren Shan and Anthony Horowitz.
When not writing, Bob enjoys reading and is an avid Munster rugby and Chelsea supporter.
In his award-winning book, Harry Pigg sets up his own private investigation firm in Grimmtown but when he is hired to track down a missing lamp for dodgy businessman Aladdin, he becomes embroiled in a much larger case. In his second book – The Ho Ho Ho Mystery, Harry Pigg meets Mrs Claus, who claims her husband Santa has been kidnapped two days before Christmas.