Knockdoe Writer Shortlisted for Book of the Year Awards
Knockdoe native Caoilinn Hughes has been shortlisted in three
categories for the An Post Irish Book of The Year Awards. Caoilinn has
been nominated for Eason’s Novel of the Year, RTE Radio One Listeners
and a Short Story section.
“The Wild Laughter” tells about Brothers Hart and Cormack Black in Co
Roscommon waking up to a very different Ireland in 2008, as the Celtic
Tiger has left devastation in its wake. The different Ireland, one
that widens the chasm between them and brings their beloved father to
his knees. Facing a devastating choice that risks their livelihood, if
not their lives, their biggest danger comes when there is nothing to
lose. A sharp snapshot of a family and a nation suddenly unmoored,
this epic-in-miniature explores cowardice and sacrifice, faith
rewarded and abandoned, the stories we tell ourselves and the ones we
resist. Hilarious, poignant and utterly fresh.
“The Wild Laughter” by Caoilinn Hughes has received rave reviews and
is shortlisted in the Irish Book Awards in two sections Eason Novel of
the Year 2020 and RTE Radio One Listeners’ Choice Award 2020.
Caoilinn Hughes is also shortlisted in the Irish Book Awards in the
WRITING.IE Short Story of the Year 2020 for her work “I Ate It All And
I Really Thought I Wouldn’t”.
Caoilinn Hughes’ debut novel “Orchid and The Wasp” won the Collyer
Bristow Prize 2019, was a finalist for the Heart Big Book Award, the
Butler Literary Award, and was longlisted for the Authors’ Club Best
First Novel Award 2018. In 2015 Caoilinn Hughes poetry collection
entitled “Gathering Evidence” won The Irish Times Strong/Shine Award
2015. For her short fiction, she won The Moth International Short
Story Prize 2018 and an O.Henry Prize 2019. Her works have appeared in
Granta, Tin House, Poetry, Best British Poetry 2014, Poetry Ireland,
The Rumpus and BBC Radio 3. This latest Novel “The Wild Laughter”
cements Caoilinn Hughes’ position as one of Ireland’s most audacious,
nuanced and insightful young writers.
Caoilinn Hughes is daughter of Sean and Ailbhe Hughes of Knockdoe and
has established herself as a leading young writer. Caoilinn attended
Baunmore National School and later Dominican College, Taylors Hill
before going on to Queens University, Belfast. After finishing her
education in Ireland like many young students Caoilinn headed for New
Zealand and went on to qualify with a PhD from Victoria University of
Wellington, New Zealand. Caoilinn has been selected as Visiting Writer
at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
However Caoilinn Hughes is acutely aware that she faces tough
competition in the Book of the Year Awards and every vote counts. In
the RTE Radio One Listeners Choice Awards “The Wild Laughter” by
Caoilinn Hughes is joined by “Diary of a Young Naturalist” by Dara
McAnulty, “A Light That Never Goes Out” by Keelin Shanley, “OK, Let’s
Do Your Stupid Idea” by Patrick Freyne and “Love” by Roddy Doyle.
In the Eason Novel of the Year 2020 Awards “The Wild Laughter” by
Caoilinn Hughes is joined by “Actress” by Anne Enright, “Strange
Flowers” by Donal Ryan, “As you were” by Elaine Feeney, “The Pull of
The Stars” by Emma Donoghue and “Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell.
In the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year 2020 “I Ate It All And I
Really Thought I Wouldn’t” by Caoilinn Hughes is joined by “Margaret
McNaughton” by Kit de Waal, “Supermarket Flowers” by Dermot Bolger,
“The Emperor of Russia” by Jaki McCarrick, “Wildflowers” by Billy
O’Callaghan and “You and Him” by Louise Kennedy.
Family and friends of Caoilinn Hughes from her neighbourhood, her
school and college days are asking people to vote and support Caoilinn
Hughes in the An Post Book of the Year Awards. Voting closes on
November 16th 2020 and each email address can vote once. There will be
five lucky voters will each win €100 of National Book Tokens. Persons
do not need to vote in every category and just the one that Caoilinn
Hughes is nominated in if person just wish to vote for her works.
Persons are asked to vote on
https://www.irishbookawards.irish/vote2020/. No matter how the awards
go “The Wild Laughter” by Caoilinn Hughes make an ideal Christmas gift
for all ages.
