Lisa McInerney, author of 'The Glorious Heresies' wins prestigious prize

Lisa McInerney won the Baileys Women's Prize for fiction for her book "The Glorious Heresies," a funny and ferocious novel about struggling characters in financial-crisis Ireland.

McInerney beat five other finalists from Britain, Ireland and the United States to take the 17 million Naira ($43,000) award at a ceremony in London. Yahoo News reported.

[No available link text]

Lawyer Margaret Mountford, who chaired the judging panel, called McInerney "a fresh new voice."

She added that: "After a passionate discussion around a very strong shortlist, we chose Lisa McInerney's The Glorious Heresies, a superbly original, compassionate novel that delivers insights into the very darkest of lives through humour and skilful storytelling. A fresh new voice and a wonderful winner."

At Wednesday night's awards ceremony in London, Mountford, presented McInerney with the £30,000 prize and the 'Bessie', a limited edition bronze figurine.

Speaking to TEN in a recent interview, McInerney revealed her gratitude for her nomination as without it, her work wouldn't have reached so many people.

"Quite a few people got on to me on things like Twitter to say without this book being shortlisted they would never have picked it up," she explained. Prizes such as the Bailey's, she said, serve as "a really good road map for readers".

The other works of fiction on the 2016 shortlist included The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie, The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild, Ruby by Cynthia Bond, and the Man Booker-nominated A Little Life by Hannah Yanagihara.

The annual award is open to female English-language writers from around the world.

Now in its 21st year, The Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction is awarded to the best novel written by a woman from anywhere in the world.

Last year's winner was Ali Smith for How to be Both (2015).

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun also topped a list of the last decade's winners of the Baileys Women's Fiction Prize.

She won the "Best of the Best" award as part of the celebrations to mark 20 years of the annual £30,000 prize.

ALSO READ: Zimbawean author did not make the short list for Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction