The winning title was chosen by Colm Tóibín who describes Frogs for Watchdogs as: “a meticulous and intense study of the inner life of a young boy. It is written with immense emotional honesty and unsparing accuracy. The protagonist is watchful and a born noticer; he is capable of great emotional complexity. Seán Farrell’s ability to allow his protagonist to change, adapt and develop is remarkable. The novel is pitch-perfect, tonally seamless, utterly immersive.”

The novel was first published in February 2025 to rave reviews and was nominated for the Sunday Independent Newcomer Of The Year at The An Post Irish Book Awards 2025.

Now in its seventh year, the prize has a formidable list of past winners: Adrian Duncan for Love Notes from a German Building Site; Hilary Fannin for The Weight of Love; Louise Kennedy for The End of the World is a Cul de Sac; Aingeala Flannery for The Amusements; Michael Magee for Close to Home; and Anna Fitzgerald for Girl in the Making.

A record 25 entries were adjudicated upon by the shortlisting committee of Prof Dame Janet Beer, former vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool; Dr Eleanor Lybeck, senior lecturer in literature at the Department of English and Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool; and Frank Shovlin, Professor of Irish Literature, University of Liverpool.

Seán Farrell will read from his prizewinning novel at the Liverpool Literary Festival on Sunday 18 October, with free tickets available here:  

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/literary-festival/events-2026/john-mcgahern-prize/