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O'Brien Press Titles - Award Winners


For many years The O'Brien Press has been winning awards, underlining the emphasis on quality in our books. Our children's books have been particularly successful over recent years, both in Ireland and abroad.

The O'Brien Press has been singled out for exceptional recognition in the field of children's publishing by the Reading Association of Ireland. The RAI Special Merit Award 1997 was presented to publisher Michael O'Brien with a citation which read "for exceptional care, skill and professionalism in publishing, resulting in a consistently high standard in all of the children's books published by The O'Brien Press". This is the first time ever that the prestigious award has gone to a publisher rather than to a specific book and it recognises the overall quality of the children's books produced by The O'Brien Press over the years.

Here is a selection of awards for individual O'Brien Press titles:

2012

Into the Grey
Celine Kiernan

CBI Book of the Year Award (shortlisted0


2011

Dancing in the Dark
P. R. Prendergast

White Raven Selection
Bisto Book of the Year (shortlisted)


Food to Love
Edward Hayden

Kerry Food Book of the Year 2011


Marco Moves In
A Rather Remarkable Bear
Gerry Boland

Irish Book Awards (shortlisted)


The Real Rebecca
Anna Carey

Irish Book Awards: Irish Children's Book of the Year (senior)


Sally Go Round the Stars
Nursery Rhymes from an Irish Childhood
Sarah Webb and Claire Ranson. Illlustrated by Steve McCarthy

Irish Book Awards (shortlisted)


2010

Alfie Green and the Chocolate Cosmos
Joe O'Brien

Irish Book Awards 2010 shortlisted
Winner, Best Chocolate Book in Ireland, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards


Alice & Megan's Cookbook
Judi Curtin

Winner, Best Children/Family Cookbook in Ireland, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards


A Coward if I Return, A Hero if I Fall
Stories of Irishmen in World War I
Neil Richardson

Irish Book Awards 2010: Non-Fiction Book of the Year WINNER


The Guinness Story
The Family, the Business, the Black Stuff
Edward J. Bourke

Best Food/Drink History Book from the Gourmand Awards


Lansdowne Road
The Stadium; the Matches; the Greatest Days
Gerard Siggins & Malachy Clerkin

Irish Book Awards 2010 shortlisted


Olanna's Big Day
Natasha Mac a'Bháird

Selected for the White Ravens 2010 by the International Youth Library


2009

Alice & Megan Forever
Judi Curtin

Irish Book Awards: nominated for DAA Children’s Book of the Year (Senior)


Epic
Conor Kostick

International Reading Association Young Adult Choice


Hal's Sleepover
Maddie Stewart

Shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Awards 2009


In the Blood
Irish Racing Dynasties
Anne Holland

Nominated for the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year Award 2009


Move
Conor Kostick

Reading Association of Ireland Special Merit Award


The Poison Throne
The Moorehawke Trilogy: Book One
Celine Kiernan

Irish Book Awards: nominated for the IES Newcomer of the Year
Irish Book Awards: nominated for DAA Children’s Book of the Year (Senior)
Reading Association of Ireland Book Award


The Story of Ireland
Brendan O'Brien

Shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Awards 2009


Wild Dublin
Éanna ní Lamhna

Shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Awards 2009
Shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Awards 2009


2008

The Story of Ireland
Brendan O'Brien

White Raven selection 2008
Irish Children's Book of the Year (Irish Book Awards)
White Raven selection 2008
Irish Children's Book of the Year (Irish Book Awards)


2007

The Feckin' Book of Everything Irish
Colin Murphy and Donal O'Dea

Best Humour Book 2007 Benjamin Franklin Awards


Kings of September
The day Offaly denied Kerry Five in a Row
Michael Foley

BoyleSports Sports Book of Year 2007


2006

Epic
Conor Kostick

IBbY Honour List 2006


A Horse Called El Dorado
Kevin Kiely

Bisto Honour Award 2006


2005

The Gods and their Machines
Oisín McGann

Bisto Merit Award 2005


Wings over Delft
Aubrey Flegg

Reading Association of Ireland Award 2005


The Wish List
Eoin Colfer

Premio Cassa di Risparmio di Cento - Letteratura per Ragazzi


2004

Wings over Delft
Aubrey Flegg

Bisto Book of the Year Award 2004


2003

Gyrfalcon
Grace Wells

Bisto Book of the Year -- Eilís Dillon Award 2003


Just Joshua
Jan Michael

Vlag en Wimpel award (Netherlands)


War Children
Gerard Whelan

Reading Association Award 2003
Bisto Book of the Year -- Merit Award 2003


2002

Adam's Starling
Gillian Perdue

Bisto Book of the Year - Eilís Dillon Award 2002


Benny and Omar
Eoin Colfer

IBbY Honour List 2002


2001

The Wish List
Eoin Colfer

Bisto Merit Award 2001


2000

Faraway Home
Marilyn Taylor

Bisto Book of the Year (2000)


The Moon King
Siobhán Parkinson

IBbY Honour List 2000


1999

Katie's War
Aubrey Flegg

Peter Pan Award (IBBY Sweden)


The Moon King
Siobhán Parkinson

Bisto Book of the Year Merit Award (1999)


1998

Dream Invader
Gerard Whelan

Bisto Book of the Year Award 1998


Enchanted Journeys
Fifty Years of Irish Writing for Children
Robert Dunbar

White Ravens Selection 1998


Four Kids, Three Cats, Two Cows, One Witch (maybe)
Siobhán Parkinson

Bisto Book of the Year Merit Award 1998


Red Hugh
The Kidnap of Hugh O'Donnell
Deborah Lisson

Western Australia Premier’s Award 1998 for a Young Adult Book


1997

The Guns of Easter
Gerard Whelan

Bisto Book of the Year Award 1997 - Eilís Dillon award
Bisto Book of the Year Award 1997 - Historical Novel category


Sisters
... no way!
Siobhán Parkinson

Bisto Book of the Year Award 1997


1996

Lockie and Dadge
Frank Murphy

Bisto Book of the Year - Eilís Dillon Memorial Award (1996)
Bisto Book of the Year Merit Award (1996)


1994

The Chieftain's Daughter
Sam McBratney

Bisto Book of the Year Merit Award (1994)


1993

The Blue Horse
Marita Conlon-McKenna

Bisto Book of the Year Award - Overall Winner (1993)


Strongbow
The Story of Richard and Aoife
Morgan Llywelyn

Reading Association of Ireland Book Award (1993)
Bisto Book of the Year - Historical Fiction (1993)


Under The Hawthorn Tree
Children of the Famine
Marita Conlon-McKenna

Osterreichischer Kinder- und Jugendbuchpreis (1993)


1992

The Story of Creation
Jane Ray

Smarties Award


Wildflower Girl
Marita Conlon-McKenna

Bisto Book of the Year - Historical Novel (1992)


1991

Brendan the Navigator
Exploring the Ancient World
George Otto Simms

Bisto Book of the Decade


Brian Boru
Emperor of the Irish
Morgan Llywelyn

Bisto Book of the Year - Best emerging children's writer (1991)


Exploring the Book of Kells
George Otto Simms

Bisto Book of the Decade


Under The Hawthorn Tree
Children of the Famine
Marita Conlon-McKenna

Reading Association of Ireland - Premier Award (1991)
International Reading Association Award (1991)
International Reading Association Award
Reading Association of Ireland Award


1989

Exploring the Book of Kells
George Otto Simms

RAI Awards - Special Merit (1989)


1988

Bike Hunt
A Story of Thieves and Kidnappers
Hugh Galt

Young People's Book Medal - Irish Book Awards (1988)


1987

Cyril's Woodland Quest
Eugene McCabe

Reading Association of Ireland Book Award


Food to Love
Edward Hayden

Kerry Food Book of the Year 2011