Hot on the heels of last week’s Guardian article detailing the booming literary scene in Ireland, An Post Book Awards have announced their 20 Best New Irish Fiction Writers for 2024.
The nominated authors work across a variety of fiction genres and all have had no more than two books published in the last decade. The list is published ahead of the An Post Irish Book Awards which will return on November 27 for its 19th year.
Here is the list in alphabetical order and the names of their published works:
Aingeala Flannery
Her critically acclaimed debut novel The Amusements was published by Penguin Sandycove in 2022.
Alan Murrin
Alan Murrin’s debut novel The Coast Road was published this summer by Harper Collins.
Cathy Sweeney
Her debut short story collection, Modern Times, was published in 2020.
Catríona Lally
Her first novel, Eggshells, was shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in 2015. Wunderland, her second novel, was published by New Island Books in 2021.
Claire Coughlan
Claire Coughlan’s debut novel is called Where They Lie.
Colin Walsh
Kala is Colin Walsh’s first novel and was a number one bestseller.
Disha Bose
Born and raised in India,Disha Bose’s debut novel is called Dirty Laundry.
Ferdia Lennon
Ferdia Lennon published his debut novel Glorious Exploits at the start of this year.
Fíona Scarlett
Fíona Scarlett’s debut novel is Boys Don’t Cry.
Louise Kennedy
Louise Kennedy is the author of the Women’s Prize Longlisted novel, Trespasses, and the acclaimed short story collection, The End of the World is a Cul de Sac.
Louise Nealon
Snowflake is Louise Nealon’s first novel and was the biggest-selling debut in Ireland, winning Newcomer of the Year at the 2021 An Post Irish Book Awards.
Megan Nolan
For her debut novel, Acts of Desperation, Nolan was the recipient of a Betty Trask Award, while Ordinary Human Failings was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Michael Magee
Belfast based author Michael Magee’s debut Close to Home won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 2023.
Michelle Gallen
Northern irish writer Michelle Gallen’s debut novel, Big Girl, Small Town was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Awardand was followed up with Factory Girls. Both books are being adapted for TV.
Naoise Dolan
Naoise Dolan’s debut novel Exciting Times was a Sunday Times bestseller, widely translated, and optioned for TV.
Niamh Campbell
Niamh Campbell’s debut novel This Happy was nominated for the An Post Irish Book Awards, the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year Award, the John McGahern Book Prize and the Kate O’Brien Award. I
Nicole Flattery
Nicole Flattery is the author of the story collection Show Them a Good Time.
Noel O’Regan
Noel’s debut novel, Though the Bodies Fall was shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, the John McGahern Book Prize and Newcomer of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards.
Sheila Armstrong
How to Gut a Fish, her first collection of short stories, and was followed by her brilliant debut novel Falling Animals.
Una Mannion
Una Mannion’s debut novel was A Crooked Tree while her second novel Tell Me What I Am was the winner of the prestigious Gold Dagger at the CWA Dagger Awards.
I don’t envy anyone trying to pick a winner from that list! Have your read any of the nominated authors?