"I've said it in public and I've said it in private; the secret to writing is . . ." The crowd gathered for the presentation of The Irish Times Literature Prizes in the library of the Royal Dublin Society last night held their breaths and lent forward. This was one secret no-one wanted to miss - Seamus Heaney's recipe for literary success.
Unfortunately, his secret turned out to be wise but not miraculous - "getting started, keeping going and getting started again".
He went on to thank The Irish Times for giving him the prize for poetry for his collection, Opened Ground, which he said "cleared the decks" and got him started again.
Nearby, the US writer Lorrie Moore, the winner in the international fiction category with Birds of America, was signing autographs as quickly as she was accepting compliments.
As The Irish Times literary editor, Caroline Walsh, pointed out, the evening had all the makings of a fine literary shindig with all the books on the walls and the busts of literary figures in the alcoves, not to mention all the writers standing around with glasses in their hands. Among them were several who had been short-listed for the prizes.
Roddy Doyle, who was short listed in the international fiction category for A Star Called Henry, paused to tell of his film, When Brendan Met Trudy, which is being made in Dublin.
Another short-listed author, Edna O'Brien, came from London where she is enjoying the rehearsals for her play, Our Fathers, at the Almeida Theatre. Colum McCann, who lives and works in New York, also came home to attend the awards presentation. His short-listed novel in the Irish fiction category, This Side of Brightness, has already been snapped up by a film company and he is hard at work on his next novel. He was accompanied last evening by his parents, Sean and Sally McCann.
Other writers present included Maeve Binchy, looking resplendent in blue; sisters Marie Heaney and Polly Devlin; poet John Montague and novelist Elizabeth Wassell; and Douglas Kennedy, who, as a judge of the international fiction prize, confessed to feeling "in the best way possible" envious of Lorrie Moore's winning novel.
Publishers present included Antony Farrell of Lilliput Press, Peter Fallon of Gallery Press and Anthony Cheetham of the Orion group, who had come from London to support his author, Neil Belton, who won the non-fiction prize for The Good Listener. Helen Bamber: A Life Against Cruelty.
Other guests included Bob Collins, director general of RTE; booksellers Fred Hanna and Rita Hughes; academic Jerusha McCormack, and singer Bernadette Greevy.
Brian Keenan, a former Irish Times literature prizewinner, was also present.
Mairin Nic Eoin was obviously a popular choice, judging by the cries of "hear, hear" that echoed round the library as judge Alan Titley, praised her book, B'ait Leo Bean. Ms Nic Eoin declared herself to be both privileged and delighted to be the first recipient of the Irish language award. The emphasis in the speeches was on continuity and change. The editor of The Irish Times, Mr Conor Brady, highlighted the fact that the awards were now heading into their third decade.
He also formally welcomed two new governors of the awards since they were last presented two years ago - Mr Don Reid, chairman of The Irish Times Limited, and Mr Nick Chapman, managing director of The Irish Times Limited.
Also present were Major T.B. McDowell, chairman of The Irish Times Trust Limited; Mr Gerry Smyth, managing editor of The Irish Times; Mr Gerard Cavanagh, administrator of The Irish Times Literature Prizes; and Ms Eleanor Walsh, co-ordinator of the prizes.