Northern Ireland

Belfast writer Bernard MacLaverty nominated for €100,000 Dublin Literary Award

Bernard MacLaverty has been nominated for the €100,000 Dublin Literary Award. Picture by Mal McCann
Bernard MacLaverty has been nominated for the €100,000 Dublin Literary Award. Picture by Mal McCann Bernard MacLaverty has been nominated for the €100,000 Dublin Literary Award. Picture by Mal McCann

A NOVEL by acclaimed Belfast writer Bernard MacLaverty has been nominated for the €100,000 International Dublin Literary Award.

Midwinter Break, which is about a middle-aged Belfast couple caught up in the Troubles, is one of 10 Irish novels among 141 works of fiction to feature on the longlist.

MacLaverty's novel as well as The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne are the two Irish titles to have received the most nominations from libraries worldwide for the literary award.

It is the world’s most valuable annual literary prize for a single work of fiction published in English.

Organised by Dublin City Council, the 2019 award was launched yesterday by Lord Mayor Nial Ring, who commended it for its "promotion of excellence in world literature as well as for the opportunity to promote Irish writing internationally".

Nominations include 39 novels in translation with works by authors from 41 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, the US, Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

The book that received most nominations this year is Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, chosen by nine libraries in Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Spain and the USA.

Brendan Teeling, acting Dublin City librarian, announced that the 141 books eligible for the 2019 award were nominated by libraries in 115 cities and 41 countries.

"This great prize affirms Dublin’s commitment to international writers and translators, to literature and creativity," he said.

"Through this award Dublin, a UNESCO City of Literature, brings the worldwide community of readers together to read the works of contemporary writers from all corners of the world."

The shortlist will be published in April with the winner to be announced in June.