The Irish Times Literature Prizes were established in 1988, with the inaugural Irish Times International Fiction Prize (worth £7,500 in 1998) awarded in 1989. The Irish Literature Prizes (four categories, each worth £5,000 in 1998) were awarded for fiction, poetry, and non-fiction written in English. In 1998, a separate prize was for the first time awarded for a work in the Irish language, for the most outstanding title of all of the categories, which was awarded by a separate panel of judges.
The Irish Times Literature Prizes were established in 1988, with the inaugural Irish Times International Fiction Prize (worth £7,500 in 1998) awarded in 1989. The Irish Literature Prizes (four categories each worth £5,000 in 1998) were awarded for fiction, poetry, and non-fiction written in English. In 1998, a separate prize was for the first time awarded for a work in the Irish language, for the most outstanding title of all of the categories, which was awarded by a separate panel of judges