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Double triumph for Barry at Irish Book Awards

Sebastian Barry collects two awards for The Secret Scripture

7 May 2009

Sebastian Barry, who was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2008 with his novel The Secret Scripture, had a double triumph on his home ground last night when picked up two prizes at the Irish Book Awards.

The Secret Scripture, which narrowly missed out on winning the Man Booker Prize 2008 to The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, went on to win the Costa Book of the Year.

The Secret Scripture won two awards at the Irish Book Awards ceremony, which was held at the Mansion House in Dublin last night. The novel won in the two categories in which it was nominated: Irish Novel of the Year and the RTÉ Radio 1's 'The Tubridy Show' Listeners' Choice Award.

This is the fourth year of the Irish Book Awards, which were established to "acknowledge the wealth of talent in Irish literature".

To read an interview with Sebastian Barry please visit our Perspective section. You can also hear an audio extract from The Secret Scripture or watch a video interview with Barry, recorded in the days leading up to the Man Booker Prize 2008 dinner.

The Man Booker Prize Fiction at its finest