Canadian author, Michael Crummey has been announced today as winner of the 2025 Dublin Literary Award sponsored by Dublin City Council, for the novel The Adversary published by Knopf Canada. The Dublin Literary Award is presented annually to promote excellence in world literature.
The winning title was announced today at a special event, at International Literature Festival Dublin which runs at Merrion Square Park until May 25th. The Award, which is celebrating 30 years this year, is the world’s largest prize for a single novel published in English. Uniquely, the Award receives its nominations from public libraries around the world and recognises both writers and translators.
The 2025 judging panel led by Professor Chris Morash of Trinity College Dublin includes such distinguished members as Leonard Cassuto, Nidhi Zak / Aria Eipe, Gerbrand Bakker, Martina Devlin and Fiona Sze Lorrain. Speaking about the winner the jury commented;
“Michael Crummey’s The Adversary compellingly and convincingly immerses its readers in a world previously lost to fiction, and almost lost to memory: a Newfoundland outport from the early years of the colony, connected to the world outside only by the occasional supply ship. In this vividly imagined, insular world, the narrative is driven by the animosity between two characters – a brother and sister – whose epic hatred for one another gives the novel an almost parable-like quality. The Adversary lastingly fills in a hitherto blank corner on our map of imagined past places.”
Michael Crummey, who ives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, is the author of seven books of poetry and a collection of short stories. He is also the author of the novels The Wreckage, and The Innocents. His most recent novel, The Adversary, was a #1 national bestseller. Speaking about the award he said,
“I am absolutely overjoyed to have received this news. It was an honour to be included on the shortlist with so many exceptional writers. To have won the Dublin Literary Award leaves me thrilled and deeply, deeply grateful. It’s something I will carry with me always.”
Michael Crummey will appear at the International Literature Festival Dublin, for an in-depth conversation about the novel, with Madeleine Keane, tomorrow evening Friday May 23rd at 6pm in Merrion Square Park (Synge stage).
Book here to attend in person.
Copies of the winning title are available to borrow from Dublin City Libraries and from public libraries throughout Ireland. Readers can also borrow the winning novel on BorrowBox in eBook format. Further details about the Award and the winning novel are available on the Award website at dublinliteraryaward.ie
