GALWAY BASED author Mick McCormack has won the 2018 International Dublin Literary Award for his novel hugely acclaimed novel Solar Bones, published by independent Irish publisher Tramp Press.
The win for Mr McCormack was announced at a ceremony in Dublin’s Mansion House this morning. The judges’ citation described Solar Bones as “formally ambitious, stylistically dauntless and linguistically spirited...a novel of extraordinary assurance and scope." The award is organised and sponsored by Dublin City Council, and at €100,000 is the world’s largest prize for a single novel published in English.
The Arts Council has congratulated Mr McCormack on his victory. "Mike has a long relationship with the Arts Council, through our residency programmes, bursary awards and, most recently, through his appointment to Aosdána, and we have known for many years that he is a writer of astonishing talent," said Sheila Pratschke, chair of the Arts Council
She continued: "In Solar Bones, Mike McCormack has created a work of profound beauty, humanity and grace; he has stretched and challenged our idea of the novel and, in so doing, has crafted a masterpiece. The Arts Council is delighted that the story of Marcus Conway will reach even more readers through this prestigious prize, and we are equally delighted to see Arts Council-supported Tramp Press rewarded for continuing to take artistic risks and platform excellent Irish writing.”
Listen to an interview with Mike and hear him read a passage from Solar Bones:
