paul lynch’s It was the best-selling book in Ireland last year, according to figures released on Wednesday.
The book won the Booker Prize in November, and following its success it sold 45,501 copies.
Other big hits include Liz Nugent’s Strange Sally Diamond, which sold 42,510 copies, won Irish Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. This includes Paul Murray’s “The Bee Sting,” which sold 42,072 copies, as well as the perennial bestseller “The Bee Sting,” by Colleen Huber. It Ends With Us sold 39,938 copies, while Prince Harry’s controversial memoir Spare sold 38,404 copies.
Catriona O’Sullivan’s memoir tops Irish biography sales topped the chart with 27,620 copies, with Republic of Ireland and Arsenal icon Liam Brady. Sportswriter Larry Ryan sold 17,572 copies.
In the Blood, written by Kerry football great Pat Spillane and Irish Examiner book editor Michael Moynihan, has sold 12,406 copies.
The biggest non-fiction sales were two cookbooks – and Both by Nathan Anthony, they sold 38,034 and 37,290 copies respectively. The book, written by Rosanna Purcell, sold 30,285 copies.
Novels that have risen to prominence on bestseller lists include the latest in the popular Aisling series; Written by Sarah Breen and Emer McClysaght, 35,293 copies sold Written by Joseph O’Connor, 29,905 copies sold; Written by Claire Keegan, 28,299 copies sold.
The data comes from Nielsen and covers 70% of retail sales in Ireland and 90% in the UK.