Book of the decade shortlist announced

THE shortlist for the Irish Book of the Decade has been chosen by a panel of independent literary experts.
The list includes internationally renowned Irish authors such as Clare’s own Enda O’Brien, William Trevor, Cathy Kelly, Anne Enright, Cecelia Ahern and Sebastian Barry, as well as national treasures Bill Cullen, Roy Keane, Eamon Dunphy and Ross O’Carroll Kelly.
The Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards Irish Book of the Decade shortlist was devised in order to chronicle the story of Ireland over the last decade as told through the eyes of Irish authors.
Over the coming five weeks, each of the shortlisted books will be profiled and promoted in Irish book retailers and libraries across the country, including Clare. The public can vote for their Irish Book of the Decade via the dedicated website, www.bookofthedecade.ie. The book that receives the most votes will be publicly announced in late May 2010 and the winning author will be presented with a special Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards’Irish Book of the Decade trophy.
This year the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards will be moving from their traditional spring date to the later date of November 2010. The annual awards will now be made at the end of the year in which the books were published, providing true reflection of the best Irish books, as chosen by the public, every year.
Last year’s winners included Seamus Heaney, Sebastian Barry, Edna O’Brien, Marian Keyes and Ronan O’Gara.