The Arts Council has published its list of 34 nominees from over 100 nominations from libraries, book clubs, arts organisations and book shops.
34 writers have made the shortlist, including three authors from the Premier County.
Burgess native Donal Ryan, who wrote the multi-award winning novel 'The Spinning Heart' has been nominated….the Tipperary man has already won the Guardian First Book Award for his debut novel and the Irish Book Awards Book of the Year 2012, as well as making the long list for the Man Booker prize
‘The Spinning Heart’ – which focuses on rural life in recession-hit Ireland – was published in October of last year.
Anne Haverty, who was born in Holycross and is an accomplished author, is also shortlisted.
Her first novel, 'One Day as a Tiger', won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 1997 and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize.
Carrick on Suir poet and short story writer Michael Coady is the third Tipperary representative for the inaugural prize.
His awards include The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award in 1979, the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award in 2004 and he was a prize-winner in the Francis MacManus competition for short stories in 1987 and 1993.
Other literary giants on the list include Anne Enright, Edna O'Brien, Dermot Bolger and John Banville.
The winner will be announced in January.
