Barry, 91-year-old among Costa Book Award winners

Sebastian Barry won the Costa Book Awards' best novel prize for The Secret Scripture, and 91-year-old Diana Athill became the oldest ever category winner with her memoir Somewhere Towards the End.

The best debut novel category was awarded to Sadie Jones for The Outcast, the poetry section went to Adam Foulds for The Broken Word about the Mau Mau uprisings in Kenya and Michelle Magorian was named the children's book winner with Just Henry.

The five authors each receive £5,000, and appearing on the shortlist of major literary awards like Costa, Booker and Orange can significantly boost a book's sales.

They are also eligible for the overall 2008 Costa Book of the Year prize which will be awarded on January 27 and comes with a cheque for £25,000.

Dublin-born Mr Barry was one of six nominees for the 2008 Booker Prize with The Secret Scripture, the second time he has been nominated for what is arguably Britain's most prestigious literary award. He lost out to Aravind Adiga.