Banville Honoured By PEN

John Banville has received the 2013 Irish PEN Award for Outstanding Achievement in Irish Literature. The bestselling author was awarded the prize at the annual Irish PEN dinner which took place on the 22nd February. In keeping with the tradition started in 1935, (when the WB Yeats Dinner took place), the annual Irish PEN Award is presented in the company of other leading writers.  Members of Irish PEN, as well as previous winners, nominate and vote for the candidate. Since 1999, the award recipients have included John B Keane, Brian Friel, Edna O’Brien, William Trevor, John McGahern, Neil Jordan, Seamus Heaney, Jennifer Johnston, Maeve Binchy, Thomas Kilroy, Roddy Doyle and Joseph O’Connor. The trophy is sponsored by www.writing.ie.