Author Nicole Flattery has been awarded the 2026 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature at a ceremony held at Trinity College Dublin. The presentation coincided with the 50th anniversary of the award, which celebrates outstanding work by emerging Irish authors under the age of 40.

To mark the milestone year, the value of the annual prize was doubled from €10,000 to €20,000. The increase was announced by Dr. Peter Rooney, benefactor and custodian of the award. The prize is administered by the Oscar Wilde Centre for Creative Writing within the School of English at Trinity College Dublin.

Responding to the award, Flattery described winning the prize as "an absolute dream come true" and said it offered encouragement at a pivotal moment in her career. She expressed gratitude to Dr. Rooney and the panel of judges, noting how meaningful it was to be added to the award's roster of past recipients.

Originally from Kinnegad, County Westmeath, Flattery published her debut short-story collection, Show Them a Good Time, in 2019, followed by her first novel, Nothing Special, in 2023. Her work and critical essays have appeared in publications such as The Stinging Fly, The London Review of Books, and The New York Review of Books. She has previously won several literary honors, including the Kate O'Brien Prize for Fiction, The White Review Short Story Prize, and an An Post Irish Book Award.