John Boyne, who won both the Tubridy Show Listeners' Choice Award and the senior category in the Dublin Airport Authority Irish Children's Book of the Year award for his novel, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, said he was "really pleased" with his wins.

"It was particularly nice to win the Tubridy award as it was voted for by readers, " he told the Sunday Tribune.

"There was tough competition there and it was great to win it. Overall, the evening was great in that it showcased so many different types of writing."

Paul Howard, author of the Ross O'Carroll Kelly series that began as a Sunday Tribune column, won the Irish Popular Fiction of the Year award for his latest novel, Should Have Got Off At Sydney Parade, beating bestselling authors Cecilia Ahern, Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes and John Banville.

Recalling the days when 'Ross' was turned down by publishers and eventually published by the Tribune, Howard said he was "particularly gratified" by the win.

"I remember when we had a bunch of the books blocking the fire exit in the offices of the Tribune and the fire officer said we had to move them, " he said.

"So I drove around in my ancient Nissan Micra trying to sell them off cheaply. It's really gratifying that what started with a few hundred fans has managed to become a commercial success." Isabel Hayes READ JOHN BOYNE'S SHORTS AND ROSS O'CARROLL-KELLY IN REVIEW