Syrian-Irish Author Suad Aldarra awarded Rooney Prize for Irish Literature

This year's Rooney Prize for Irish Literature has been announced as Syrian-Irish writer Suad Aldarra, for her memoir about her journey fleeing from Syria. The ceremony was held at Trinity College Dublin.

The prize, managed by The Trinity Oscar Wilde Centre comes with €10,000 and was established in 1976 to recognise the exceptional work of an emerging Irish writer under 40.

Aldarra, who came to Dublin a decade ago, shared her acceptance of the award with the Irish Times saying, “Publishing my book brought me closer to a true sense of belonging. Being embraced by the Irish literary community is something I will always cherish.”

The book has been considered for numerous accolades including being  shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Biography of the Year.

Aldarra’s memoir, I Don’t Want to Talk About Home, is about her journey fleeing Syria in 2012. In the book she details facing gender-based discrimination in her home country and nationality-based hate once she left.

In a 2022 interview with Hot Press, she says, “When I had to hide my identity or nationality, it wasn’t because of shame, but rather due to the negative stereotypes surrounding Syrian nationality,” explains Aldarra.

“I eventually realised I needed to find a balance between the two. I couldn’t just ignore how I come from a war-torn country, or that Syrians are the biggest population of refugees worldwide.”

Literary agent and Prize Committee chair Jonathan Williams explained the excitement surrounding the award's recipient and its history, “It is a pleasure to announce that the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature in 2024 is awarded to Suad Aldarra for her memoir, I Don’t Want to Talk About Home. It is only the second time in the 48-year history of the prize that it has been bestowed on a work of non-fiction."

“Suad’s account of her life as a Syrian migrant is vivid and eloquent – a narrative of displacement and exile. The six members of the judging panel believe that the memoir promises future impressive books from this gifted writer, thus fulfilling the primary objective of the Rooney Prize.”