Welcome to the website of The Irish Book Awards, the first multi-category, industry-wide, awards project of its kind in the history of the Irish book sector. The winners of the 2008 Awards were announced at The Gala Awards Dinner in Dublin's Mansion House on April 24th, an evening that was introduced by guest speaker and outgoing Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern. The winners were Diarmuid Ferriter, Anne Enright, Julia Kelly, Anita Notaro, Roddy Doyle, and Brendan O'Brien. William Trevor was the highly popular recipient of the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award. The evening was expertly and effortlessly presented by MC Grainne Seoige and the guest presenters included, Marian Keyes, Cathy Kelly, Sheila O'Flanagan, Kathryn Thomas, Madeleine Keane and Anthony Horowitz.