Eddie nominated for prestigious award

A CLARE man has been nominated for the world’s richest prize for children’s and young adult’s literature, an accolade previously won by His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman. North Clare storyteller and Clare Champion contributor Eddie Lenihan is one of three Irish people nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

The award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council and is valued at nearly €550,000. It is presented annually to a single or several recipients and is presented to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and those active in reading promotion.
Eddie told The Clare Champion being nominated “was totally unexpected”.
“It is an honour, absolutely, being recognised internationally by an arts council that is noted for its reputation,” he said.
“When you look at some of the previous winners, they are very well-known people, quite a few of them anyway. I recognise their names. Philip Pullman, in particular, is very well known, as is the 2003 winner, Maurice Sendak,” the noted folklorist added.
The award is designed to promote interest in children’s and young adult’s literature and in children’s rights globally. A jury selects the winner from candidates nominated by institutions and organisations worldwide.
“I don’t know who nominated me. I didn’t ask when I got in touch with the organisers because I didn’t think it was any of my business. They would have said on the contact letter if they wanted it to be known,” Eddie said.
Eddie is up against 183 other candidates from 66 countries. Other Irish nominees are authors Conor Kostick and Siobhán Parkinson.  The winner, or winners, of the prize will be announced on March 20.