Donal Ryan 'overjoyed' after winning Orwell Prize with novel Heart, Be At Peace
Donal Ryan has said he is 'overjoyed' to have won the prestigious Orwell Prize for political fiction.
The Tipperary native was announced as the winner in London for his latest novel, Heart, Be At Peace.
'It was an amazing honour just to be shortlisted, and very unexpected to receive the award. I was overjoyed, and to be introduced and presented by the great Jim Crace was very special,' he told the Irish Examiner.
A sequel to his debut, The Spinning Heart, his latest novel tells the story of a small town in rural Ireland through the voices of 21 characters.
Heart, Be At Peace explores a community that has weathered the storms of economic collapse and is now looking towards the future.
The panel for this year's Orwell Prize for fiction was chaired by author Jim Crace, who said Ryan's book was chosen as the winner 'for its clarity' and the 'perfectly pitched voices' of its characters.
Mr Crace described the novel as 'exceptional.'
The author joins a list of former Irish winners, including Anna Burns and Claire Keegan.
Ukrainian author Victoria Amelina, who died in July 2023 in the war in Ukraine, is the posthumous winner of the Orwell Prize for Political Writing for her book Looking at Women, Looking at War.
Mr Ryan said: 'It was an emotional occasion, with the heroic Victoria Amelina's posthumous award for political writing'.
Every year, the Orwell Foundation awards prizes for literary work that mirrors George Orwell's ambition to "make political writing into an art."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Extra.ie
25 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Liveline: The one where Louis Walsh and Ronan Collins had a proper on-air rager
In 2002 Liveline erupted as two titans of the Irish music scene Louis Walsh and Ronan Collins had a full-on heated debate with Joe Duffy acting as a moderator, of sorts. The spat began when RTE DJ Ronan Collins announced he was retiring and as is the way in Montrose, Collins was invited onto Liveline to regale the nation with tales from the 'RTE crypt.' A massive fan of Show Bands music, Ronan proceeded to launch into a diatribe of everything he loathed about the music business and top of his list was his distaste for manufactured music. Ronan Collins. Pic: RTÉ This was certainly not music to the ears of one Mr Louis Walsh, who at the time, was riding the crest of the manufactured pop music wave. In fact, Louis had just launched his latest put-together pop act an all-girl group called SIX. Led by Louis Walsh, the band Six were expected to take the country by storm after being formed on a talent show. Their debut single There's a Whole Lot of Loving Going On would prove to be a smash hit. However, Collins was far too disparaging about Six for Louis Walsh's liking. Liam McKenna, Sarah Keating, Sinead Sheppard, Andy Orr, Emma O'Driscoll and Kyle Anderson from the band SIX. Pic: VIP Ireland Speaking on Liveline in 2002, Collins labelled manufactured music the likes of which Six were belting out as 'dross' and said it was a poor reflection on music in Ireland. 'It's just absolutely awful what they have produced, just dross. It's terrible, terrible stuff. It is lacking in credibility, lacking in imagination. It's lacking in any kind of musicianship and the singing is awful… 'If they are (the best in Ireland), there is a very, very dim future for singers and dancers in this country if we are to judge by their recording of a mediocre pop song 25 years ago that has been made even worse,' said Ronan. Louis Walsh. Pic: Fran Veale 'These kids are being led up an alleyway and the only ones who will get any fame and probably ultimately anything out of this are Louis Walsh, Bill Hughes and Linda Martin.' Listening through the wireless from his home in Dublin, Louis Walsh wasn't one bit happy. So Louis himself called in to talk to Ro and the pair proceeded to tap out a right old ding-dong. Ronan Collins. Pic: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland Despite being friends with Ronan Collins for many many years, Louis took aim at Collins' own career in country music decades earlier saying: 'That's a bit rich coming from a failed showband star. Ronan, get a life,' raged Louis. 'You are not going to make it on our backs. Cop on. You are a failed showband star'. 'This is going to be the biggest Irish record this year. I believe in this product. They are amazing singers. I think they are better than Hear'say or Bucks Fizz and better than any of the manufactured bands in the UK.' And with that another golden moment of Irish radio was born.
The Irish Sun
34 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Irish cannot handle spice' – Watch Katie Taylor struggle in hilarious challenge with TWO Hollywood A-listers
KATIE TAYLOR felt the heat after appearing as a special guest on an episode of Hot Ones: Versus starring a pair of Hollywood A-listers. The undisputed super lightweight champion appeared "in the corner" of 2 Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman went up against each other in an episode of Hot Ones: Versus Credit: First We Feast YouTube 2 Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano both appeared on the episode and felt the heat Credit: First We Feast YouTube The South African actress, meanwhile, was backed up by Not happy with merely appearing on the episode, As the Irishwoman got stuck in, Academy Award winner Theron quipped: "The Irish cannot handle spice" to which KT shook her head in agreement. The effects became quickly apparent, as the Bray Bomber admitted: "My mouth's on fire ." Read More on Katie Taylor Next up to taste was Serrano, who too felt the power of the spice, while Taylor remarked: "I'm gonna start crying". It got so bad that she had to ask the Kill Bill star if she could have some of her milk to cool down. Taylor and Serrano's cameos were designed to promote their upcoming trilogy bout on July 11, live on The Irish legend will once again face the Puerto Rican, having accrued a 2-0 lead in their series so far. Most read in Boxing Their third bout with be the Also featuring on the card are the likes of Alycia Baumgardner, Savannah Marshall, and '20 years in the making' – Katie Taylor teases huge announcement and leaves fans speculating 'Croke Park?' However, the card has had to undergo an unexpected change when She was due to face IBF bantamweight champion Shurretta Metcalf in a title unification bout However, the unified bantamweight champ revealed that she is expecting her second child, while she has relinquished her WBO title. Upon her return to the ring Thorslund may request to be designated mandatory challenger. The 30-year-old said: 'Life can be such a roller coaster, especially as a female boxer. "I was really looking forward to this fight—the biggest moment of my career. 'Recently I found out I was pregnant, a curve I hadn't expected, but a joyous one. "Even though the decision was easy, the athlete in me is sad, as I SO wanted to stand in that ring and make history on Friday, July 11. "But I'll be back! "When I do step back in the ring, there will be another little person that I can fight for and be a role model for. "I plan to show my child that nothing is impossible if you work hard enough for it. "I hope all the boxers have a fantastic evening. I will be cheering from the sidelines, and I can only encourage the rest of the world to either take the trip to Madison Square Garden and experience the magic, or to tune in to watch history being made, live on Netflix.' The unified title belt will remain on the card, however, with reigning WBA holder Cherneka Johnson taking Thorslund's place.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's neutrality and proposed scrapping of triple lock 'entirely unrelated', Dáil committee hears
Ireland's neutrality and the proposed scrapping of UN authorisation for future Irish peacekeeping missions are 'entirely unrelated', a former senior Department of Defence official has said. Ciarán Murphy told the Oireachtas defence committee that there would be 'absolutely' no change to Ireland's neutrality — defined as non-membership of a military alliance — if the so-called 'triple lock' is removed. The former assistant secretary, and defence policy director at the department, said it was a 'fallacy' to argue the UN was a protector of Ireland's neutrality and told committee members 'this house' — as in the Dáil — was the protector. Mr Murphy said the UN Security Council — which mandates UN missions — is in 'gridlock' and there had been no new missions mandated since 2014. He added the current UN missions to Lebanon, which Ireland has been part of since 1978, were now in danger of not being renewed by the council. Mr Murphy was one of three people attending committee hearings on the Defence Bill 2025. The draft legislation proposes to remove the requirement for UN approval to send Defence Forces abroad. It also plans to increase the number of personnel that can be sent overseas — from 12 to 50 — without the Government needing the support of the Dáil. The 'triple lock' refers to three hurdles required — Government, Dáil, and UN — before sending troops beyond 12 personnel abroad. The bill authorities Irish troops to take part in an 'international force' for the purposes of peace-keeping, conflict prevention and international security 'consistent with the principles of the United Nations Charter'. Examples of such bodies include the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the EU, or 'any other body' operating in a manner consistent with UN principles. Professor Ben Tonra, UCD School of Politics and International Relations, said within tradition definitions of neutrality — non membership of a military pact — Ireland's neutrality would be "unaffected' by the proposed amendment. He accepted the removal of the triple lock was a 'major' development in Irish policy, but he not believe it was a 'fundamental one' that required constitutional change. But he did suggest safeguards that could replace UN authorisation, such as a formal legal review of proposed deployments and an annual review mechanism. Solicitor Joe Noonan agreed with the other contributors that the UN Security Council was not working properly, but cautioned Ireland 'should not throw the baby out with the bathwater', and said the focus should be on reforming and improving the UN processes. He said senior figures within the European Commission appeared eager to push for closer agreement with Nato in defending Europe, and said Ireland was being subjected to 'unrelenting' pressure to get on board to where the commission was heading. Mr Noonan said if the current proposals were passed, a Government which had a simple majority in the Dáil could 'send Irish troops anywhere in the world'. But he said he did not believe the proposals had constitutional implications and did not see the Lisbon and Nice treaties being affected, which could give rise to a challenge in the European Court of Justice — as claimed by an academic at a previous hearing. Mr Murphy said suggestions the UN General Assembly could provide UN backing to peace-keeping operations, without requiring the UN Security Council — comprising five major powers, each with a veto — to sanction it, were 'operationally not feasible' and happened once, 80 years ago.
