With three lecturers from Bangor University shortlisted for the English and Welsh categories of Literature Wales’ Welsh Book of the Year Awards, two have been successful in being awarded prizes and Ifan Morgan Jones went on to be awarded both the overall Welsh language Llyfr y Flwyddyn book of the year category and the Golwg Barn y Bobl people’s vote award.

Journalism Lecturer, Ifan Morgan Jones’ novel, Babel was shortlisted and won the Llyfr y Flwyddyn Welsh language novel category announced at lunchtime on Friday 31 July.

Later that day, Footnotes to Water, a volume of poetry by Prof Zoë Skoulding was awarded the Poetry category Wales Book of the Year Award.

On hearing the news Prof Skoulding said: “I’m thrilled to receive this award for Footnotes to Water, and grateful for all the work that Literature Wales does to foreground literature as an important part of the nation’s public life. I hope that all the shortlisted works in both languages will find new readers this summer. I’m very pleased, too, to be part of such a strong community of writers at Bangor University, including colleagues and alumni recognised in this year’s awards.”

She added: “Footnotes to Water began from my fascination with Bangor’s past, and with details of the city that often escape notice, like the buried Afon Adda. It’s a conversation with and about places I love, so I’m delighted that it has received this attention.”

On Saturday, the overall winners were announced, and Ifan Morgan Jones was awarded both main Welsh Awards.

Ifan said: “It is a great honour to win such a prestigious award and I am extremely grateful to the judges for deciding that I am worthy of the top prize, and also to all who voted in my favour for the popular Golwg360 Barn y Bobl vote.

“I am also very grateful to my colleagues at Bangor University for their support. I studied an MA in creative writing here and the research I completed as part of my doctorate here on the Welsh press in the 19th century has informed the novel.”

“I would also like to thank my family for their support, especially my partner Llinos, my children Mari, Magw, Jano and Radi, and my mother and parents-in-law for their care and for giving me ‘time to write’. “

Also shortlisted was Dignity, Alys Conran’s second novel. Creative Writing lecturer Alys won the overall English Book of the Year Award in 2017 for her first novel Pidgeon.

All three academics contribute to creative writing courses at the newly created School of Literature, Languages, Linguistics & Media at Bangor University.

Photo: Ifan Morgan Jones and Prof Zoë Skoulding