The Tir na n-Og Awards (abbreviated TnaO) are a set of annual children's literary awards in Wales from 1976. They are presented by the Books Council of Wales to the best books published during the preceding calendar year in each of three awards categories, one English-language and two Welsh-language. Their purpose is "[to raise] the standard of children's and young people's books and to encourage the buying and reading of good books." There is no restriction to fiction or prose. Each prize is £1,000. [1]
The awards are named for Tír na nÓg, the "Land of the Young", an otherworldly realm in Irish mythology.
The English-language award honours one book with an "authentic Welsh background" whose original language is English. It is sponsored by the British Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, Cymru Wales division (CILIP/Wales), and presented at that association's annual conference in May. [1]
The Welsh-language Primary Sector and Secondary Sector awards honour one book written for primary school children and one for secondary school children. [1] They are presented at the annual Urdd National Eisteddfod, recently at the beginning of June or end of May. [1] [2] [3] [4] Since 2011, the Welsh-language awards are co-sponsored by the Cardigan-based publisher Cymdeithas Lyfrau Ceredigion. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Shortlists comprising three or four books in each awards category have been published by BCW at least from 2011. [2] [3] [4] [5]
The primary sector award went to author Manon Steffan Ros and illustrator Jac Jones for Pobol Drws Nesaf (‘The People Next Door’). [6]
The 2018/2019 cycle was completed by announcements of the English-language winner on 16 May 2019 and the two Welsh-language winners at the Urdd National Eisteddfod on 30 May.
The primary sector award went to Elin Meek and Valériane Leblond for Cymru ar y Map, a lavishly illustrated picture atlas of Wales, published by Rily Publications.
The secondary sector award went to Manon Steffan Ros for Fi a Joe Allen, a football novel about a fan following the Welsh team to France, published by Y Lolfa.
The English-language award was presented to Catherine Fisher for The Clockwork Crow, a tale of enchantment involving Welsh folklore and set in a snowy Welsh landscape, published by Firefly Press. [7]
The 2015/2016 cycle was completed by announcements of the English-language winner on 26 May 2016 and the two Welsh-language winners at the Urdd National Eisteddfod on 2 June. Three shortlists of three or four books had been announced in March. [8]
The primary sector award went to Sian Lewis and Valériane Leblond for Pedair Cainc y Mabinogi, a retelling of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, published by Rily Publications.
The secondary sector award went to Llyr Titus for Gwalia, a space travel adventure, published by Gomer Press.
The English-language award was presented to Griff Rowland for The Search For Mister Lloyd, about a Welsh boy's search for his missing racing pigeon, published by Candy Jar Books. [9]
The 2014/2015 cycle was completed by announcements of the English-language winner on 14 May 2015 and the two Welsh-language winners at the Urdd National Eisteddfod on 28 May. Three shortlists of three or four books had been announced 26 March. [10]
The primary sector award went to Caryl Lewis for Straeon Gorau'r Byd, a collection of stories from all over the world, published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. [11]
The secondary sector award went to Gareth F. Williams for Y Gêm, a novel about football and friendship centred on events of the First World War, notably the Christmas truce, published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. [11]
The English-language award was presented on 14 May 2015 at Swansea Central Library to Giancarlo Gemin for Cowgirl, a story of two very different girls in contemporary south Wales, published by Nosy Crow. [12]
The 2013/2014 cycle was completed 29 May 2014 at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire with the presentation of the two Welsh-language awards. [13]
The primary sector award went to Gareth F. Williams for Cwmwl dros y Cwm, a historical novel set in Senghenydd in South Wales at the time of the disastrous colliery explosion in 1913, published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.
The secondary sector award went to Haf Llewelyn for Diffodd y Sêr, a historical novel about the family of Welsh poet Hedd Wyn (Ellis Humphrey Evans), who died at Passchendaele, published by Y Lolfa.
The English-language award was presented 15 May 2014 at Cardiff Central Library to Wendy White for Welsh Cakes and Custard, family-based stories about two young children in contemporary Wales, published by Gomer Press. [5]
The 2012/2013 cycle was completed 30 May 2013 at the Urdd National Eisteddfod with the presentation of the two Welsh-language awards. [4]
The primary sector award went to Iolo Williams and Bethan Wyn Jones for Cynefin yr Ardd, a book about garden wildlife, published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.
The secondary sector award went to Alun Wyn Bevan for Y Gêmau Olympaidd a Champau’r Cymry, a celebration of the Olympic Games with emphasis on the Welsh connection, published by Gomer Press.
The English-language award was presented 16 May 2013 at Cardiff Central Library to Cwmbran-born Daniel Morden for Tree of Leaf and Flame, a collection of stories retelling the Mabinogion, illustrated by Brett Breckon and published by Pont Books. He won the same award in 2007 for Dark Tales from the Woods. [4]
There was a single Welsh-language award from 1976 to 1986, followed by dual fiction and nonfiction awards from 1987 to 2005, dual Primary and Secondary awards from 2006. There has been one English-language award throughout. [14]
All three awards have been conferred every year from 1994. Previously seven English awards and one Welsh award were withheld. [14]
In 2023 the readers choice award was introduced, with children and young people who took part in the Tir na n-Og Shadowing Scheme choosing their winners. [15]
Before 2006 the dual Welsh-language awards recognised fiction and nonfiction books.
Before 1987 there were only two awards, one for English- and one for Welsh-language books.
Pont Books, the children's imprint of Gomer Press (Gwasg Gomer), has published the last nine books to win the English award, 2006 to 2014. [14] [5] Gwasg Gomer has also published five winners of Welsh awards during that time. Y Lolfa, Tal-y-bont published six of the eight books to win the Welsh-language awards, 2009 to 2012. [14]
Several authors have won two awards, including all three winners in 2012 [3] and both winners of the first awards in 1976, Susan Cooper and T. Llew Jones. [14]
For the inaugural English Award-winning novel, The Grey King (1975), Cooper also won the Newbery Medal recognising the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children". She won the third English Award in 1978 for its sequel, Silver on the Tree, the concluding Dark is Rising novel. For that series, in April 2012 she won the annual American Library Association lifetime award for "lasting contribution to young adult literature", the Margaret A. Edwards Award. [24]
Dafydd Iwan Jones is a Welsh singer and nationalist politician who rose to fame writing and performing folk music in the Welsh language. From 2003 to 2010, Iwan was the president of Plaid Cymru, a political party which advocates for Welsh independence from the UK.
Thomas Llewelyn Jones was a Welsh language author. Over a writing career of more than 50 years, he became one of the most prolific and popular authors of children's books in Welsh. He wrote, and was generally known, as T. Llew Jones.
Alan Llwyd, original name Alan Lloyd Roberts, also known under the Bardic name Meilir Emrys Owen, is a Welsh poet, literary critic and editor. He is one of the most prolific Welsh-language poets of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and has won the bardic Chair at the National Eisteddfod three times and the Crown twice.
Jennifer Sullivan is a Welsh writer for children and adults, and a former literary critic. She is best known for her Magic Apostrophe series of children's fantasy books. She is a recipient of the Tir na n-Og Award.
The Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors. Established in 1992, the awards are currently administered by Literature Wales, and supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government and the Welsh Books Council.
Bethan Gwanas is a popular contemporary Welsh author, who publishes almost exclusively in the Welsh language. A prolific writer, she has had 17 titles published in the last decade. Whilst not just a fiction writer, she has written novels for teenagers and Welsh learners, though most of her recent work has been for adults.
Gwyn Thomas, FLSW was a Welsh poet and academic. He was the second National Poet of Wales, holding the role between 2006 and 2008.
Gomer Press is a family printing company based in Llandysul, west Wales. It was the largest publishing house in Wales.
Steve Eaves is a Welsh poet, songwriter and singer, working in the Welsh language. He has lived for most of his life in the Bangor area of North Wales. He has been a performing musician for over 45 years. During the late 1960s and early 1970s he worked as a labourer and musician, with frequent forays to Chester, Crewe and other locations to perform at folk clubs and underground venues of the period. He also performed at the now legendary Les Cousins folk club in Soho, sharing the floor spot with legendary blues singer Jo Ann Kelly. He also performed with various 'underground' luminaries of the time such as Al Stewart, Tea and Symphony, and the Sutherland Brothers.
Graham Howells is a Welsh illustrator and children's author. Howells was born in Antwerp, Belgium, and lived in Bahrain, Malaysia, Singapore, and Germany, before moving to Pembrokeshire, west Wales.
Emily Huws is a Welsh language children's author. She is a recipient of the Mary Vaughan Jones Award.
Angharad Tomos is a Welsh author and prominent language activist. She is a recipient of the Tir na n-Og Award.
Myrddin ap Dafydd is a Welsh writer, publisher and chaired bard. In 2018 he was elected Archdruid of Wales.
Gareth Finlay Williams was a Welsh language author who wrote novels for children and adults, as well as creating many television drama series.
Manon Steffan Ros is a Welsh novelist, playwright, games author, scriptwriter and musician. She is the author of over twenty children's books and three novels for adults, all in Welsh. Her award-winning novel Blasu has been translated into English, under the title of The Seasoning. In May 2021 she was described as "arguably the most successful novelist writing in Welsh at the moment". In June 2023 she won the Yoto Carnegie Medal for The Blue Book of Nebo, her English translation of her novel Llyfr Glas Nebo.
Writer Diarmuid Johnson (1965) was born in Cardiff (Wales), and brought up in Galway (Ireland). He holds BA, MA and PhD degrees in Celtic Studies. He has published poetry and prose in Irish, Welsh and English, and writes occasionally in other languages, including Breton, French, and German.
Caryl Lewis is a Welsh novelist. She won the Wales Book of the Year in 2005 with her novel Martha Jac a Sianco, which was adapted into a film in 2008.
John Selwyn Lloyd, known professionally as J. Selwyn Lloyd, was a Welsh-language author of novels for children and young adults.
Rhiannon Ifans, FLSW is a Welsh academic specialising in English, Medieval and Welsh literature. She was an Anthony Dyson Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, in University of Wales Trinity St. David. She twice won a Tir na-n-Og prize for her work and won the literary medal competition at the Welsh Eisteddfod, for her 2019 debut novel, Ingrid, which was chosen for the Welsh Literature Exchange Bookshelf. In 2020, Ifans was elected as a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.
History Grounded or Hanes yn y Tir is a book on the history of Wales by Welsh historian Elin Jones.
