Irish PEN was delighted to host a reading by Hugo Hamilton last month. The renowned author read from his new book Hand in the Fire. He spoke of the challenges of fictionalising and noted the theme of the outsider and acceptance within a culture recurs in his work. We learned too that the wonderful photo [...]

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Shane and Vanessa O’Loughlin

Senator David Norris acclaiming Brendan Kennelly, before Anne Hartigan and Brendan Kennelly

Brendan Kennelly

Anne Hartigan, Brendan Kennelly and Senator David Norris

Blessed is Brendan among women, at the Irish PEN dinner and award, January 2010

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Words by Joe Armstrong, Photo by Caroline Brady
Brendan Kennelly is probably the best-loved figure in Irish public life, said Senator David Norris, speaking at the Irish PEN award ceremony on Friday 29th January 2010.  He described Kennelly as one of the world’s greatest teachers. In a funny and entertaining speech that had the captive audience at [...]

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Last year, Roddy Doyle was the popular winner of the Irish PEN award for literature in January 2009.

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Novelist Maeve Binchy proved a popular recipient for this year’s Irish Pen AT Cross Award for literature. Presented with the award at a sell-out dinner in the Royal St George Yacht Club on January 19th, she expressed delight at such recognition from her peers. She also promised that on her future visits to bookshops she [...]

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