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Professor Joseph O’Connor, Frank McCourt Chair of Creative Writing at ��ɫ��Ƶ, has been awarded The Last Word Listeners’ Choice Award at the 2025 An Post Irish Book Awards for his best-selling novel, The Ghosts of Rome.

This was not however the only win linked to ��ɫ��Ƶ at this year’s awards ceremony, which took place last night at the Convention Centre in Dublin. 

Gráinne O’Brien, a UL graduate and guest lecturer in UL’s School of English, Irish, and Communication, received the Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year award for her debut novel, Solo, the roots of which began while she was a student on the MA in Creative Writing ��ɫ��Ƶ.

The An Post Irish Book Awards, which is now in its 20^th year, recognises the very best of new and established Irish writing talent across 19 categories.

The Ghosts of Rome by Professor O’Connor is one of the biggest-selling books in Ireland in 2025. A Sunday Times bestseller, the novel has been lauded by critics both at home and internationally with The New York Times describing it as “dazzling”.

The novel is the sequel to My Father’s House, which introduced readers to the heroism of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty in Nazi-occupied Rome and his band of Escape Line activists, known as ‘The Choir’, as they attempt to smuggle refugees to safety.

The Ghosts of Rome was also nominated for the 2025 Eason Novel of the Year. 

Congratulating the award-winning novelists, Dr Sandra Joyce, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, said: “On behalf of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, I am thrilled to congratulate our colleagues Professor Joseph O’Connor and Grainne O’Brien on receiving this prestigious award, which stands as a powerful recognition of their dedication, expertise and impact in the field of Creative Writing. 

“This achievement not only celebrates their individual excellence but also reflects the collaborative spirit and commitment to innovation that define the Creative Writing team ��ɫ��Ƶ. 

“We are proud to see their work acknowledged at this level and look forward to supporting their continued success.”

Reflecting on his most recent accolade, Professor O’Connor said: “It’s a tremendous honour to have readers, the most wonderful thing that can happen to any writer, and I'm deeply thankful to them, always. 

“For a novel of mine to receive an award by public vote means so much. It's really moving.”

Gráinne O’Brien is a graduate of both UL’s Bachelor of Arts and MA in Creative Writing who now teaches Creative Writing to undergraduate students ��ɫ��Ƶ.

Speaking after last night’s awards ceremony, she said: “The roots of Solo began in the MA in Creative Writing programme ��ɫ��Ƶ.

“I was guided and encouraged to take chances with my writing, and I still feel the support from the entire UL Creative Writing team. 

“I am thrilled and honoured to have won the Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year 2025 and so proud that this began in UL.” 

Head book buyer at Kenny’s Bookshop in Galway, Gráinne published her debut novel in April of this year. The book for young adults is written in verse and explores teenage love and friendships, both lost and found.

Professor O’Connor’s The Ghosts of Rome will be published in paperback next month with the final book in the Rome Escape Line trilogy due for publication in January 2027.

Set in June 1944, near the end of the Nazi occupation, the protagonist in the third novel is London-born jazz saxophonist, Johnny May, who lives in Rome and helps the Escape Line.

Reflecting on his historical fiction trilogy, the award-winning novelist said: “Writing about Hugh O’Flaherty and the incredibly brave women and men of the Rome Escape Line has been a wonderful experience.

“In this difficult time for the world, I found it inspiring and uplifting to spend all those writing hours with such wonderful, selfless, heroic, funny, smart, empathic people.”

Professor O’Connor also paid tribute to his colleague on UL’s Creative Writing team, Donal Ryan, who was nominated for Author of the Year. 

He said: “I am deeply proud of my dear friends and UL Creative Writing colleagues, Donal Ryan and Gráinne O'Brien, who as well as being immensely gifted writers are such lovely people. 

“To see Gráinne win at these major awards with her debut novel is a joy. I know this is shared by our Creative Writing students and by readers throughout the whole UL community.”

The An Post Irish Book Awards ceremony will be televised on RTÉ 1 on Thursday 11 December.

You can read more about Gráinne’s experience as a student on the MA in Creative Writing here.