Sally Rooney Longlisted for Dublin Award
Acclaimed Irish author Sally Rooney and debut novelist Niamh Ní Mhaoleoin have been longlisted for the 2026 Dublin Literary Award. Rooney's "Intermezzo" and Ní Mhaoleoin's "Ordinary Saints" are among 20 works competing for the €100,000 prize, highlighting the global relevance of contemporary Irish fiction. The Dublin Literary Award is one of the world's richest literary prizes.
- The longlist was chosen from an initial 69 novels nominated by 80 public libraries in 36 different countries. - The next step in the process is the announcement of a six-book shortlist on April 7, 2026, with the final winner being declared on May 21, 2026, as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin. - Rooney and Ní Mhaoleoin are in competition with other literary heavyweights, including Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, British writer Alan Hollinghurst, and the Polish Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk. - This is not Sally Rooney's first time being recognized by this award; her debut novel, "Conversations with Friends," was shortlisted for the prize in 2019. - Rooney's nominated novel, "Intermezzo," is her fourth book and tells the story of two brothers, Peter and Ivan, as they navigate grief and their complex romantic lives following the death of their father. - Niamh Ní Mhaoleoin's debut, "Ordinary Saints," follows a queer Irish woman who returns home from London to confront her devout Catholic family after learning that her deceased brother may be canonized as a saint. - If a translated work wins, the €100,000 prize is split, with the author receiving €75,000 and the translator receiving €25,000; six translated novels appear on this year's longlist. - Several Irish authors have previously won the award, including Anna Burns in 2020 for "Milkman," Mike McCormack in 2018 for "Solar Bones," and Colm Tóibín in 2006 for "The Master."
