Irish Pen.com » Prizes & Awards

‘I see you dancing, Brendan’

joe-armstrong — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:59:56 +0000

Words by Joe Armstrong, Photo by Caroline Brady

Senator David Norris, Anne Hartigan and Brendan Kennelly, recipient of the Irish PEN lifetime achievement award for literature

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 the Royal St George Yacht Club laugh loud and often, he revered Kennelly for imagining himself in poetic form inside the mind of Cromwell, his nation’s bitterest enemy, and Judas. To the appreciation of those gathered, he quoted from one of Brendan’s acclaimed poems ‘I See You Dancing, Father’ which ends: ‘Whatever happens or cannot happen/In the time I have to spare/I see you dancing, father.’

He thanked Brendan on behalf of Irish PEN for all that he has done to enrich our lives. ‘You have been my teacher, my mentor, my advisor. It is a great privilege to be here presenting this award, in this most distinguished company of your peers, your fellow artists. It is appropriate that you should receive this. You are a brilliant poet.’

‘I can’t say how honoured I am. It’s an amazing award,’ said Brendan Kennelly of the Irish PEN accolade. He peppered his softly lilted twenty-minute speech with several recitations of poetry in English and Irish. He recited poems from memory, such as Kavanagh’s ‘The Dawning of the Day’ first in Irish and then in English. He recounted a tale of Kavanagh asking someone for a large whiskey and then a fiver. He then asked for another large whiskey and another fiver. He continued in this vein, requesting whiskey and fivers until eventually the other man said No and Kavanagh, twinkle in eye, called him stingy. All who heard Brendan speak and recite felt honoured to be there, privileged to share the moment. It was like what a sacrament is meant to be: a recreation anew of eternal truths of humanity. The priest: Kennelly. The liturgy: the poetry.

Irish PEN Annual Dinner & Award Ceremony

joe-armstrong — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:15:49 +0000

The Irish PEN Annual Dinner, and the presentation of the Irish PEN Award for Contribution to Literature to Brendan Kennelly, took place on Friday 29th January 2010 at The Royal St George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Senator David Norris made the presentation. For a brief report, see ‘I see you dancing, Brendan’ in the February 2010 Archives

Photos

joe-armstrong — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:54:41 +0000

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

Fintan O'Toole of The Irish Times gave a terrific speech, as did Irish PEN Award winner Roddy Doyle

L to R: Caroline Brade, Amanda Brunker and, seated, Vanessa O'Loughlin, enjoying the Irish PEN Award & dinner

Ruth and Joe Armstrong & Suzanne O’Leary at the Irish PEN dinner 2009

Fiona Price, Caroline O’Connell, Pamela Brady, Neil Jordan, Fidelma Kelly, Caroline Brady.

Irish PEN Annual Award & Dinner

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:41:34 +0000

The Irish PEN Award for Contribution to Irish Literature 2009

It is with great pleasure that we announce that the winner of the 2009 Irish PEN Award for Contribution to Irish Literature is Brendan Kennelly.

The Award will be presented at The Irish Pen Annual Dinner on Friday 29^th January 2010 at The Royal St George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Writer, broadcaster and Joyce expert, former TCD colleague Senator David Norris will make the presentation to Brendan.

Download, print and return the booking form to reserve your place.

Booker Win!

Catherine Daly — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:23:00 +0000

Congratulations to Ann Enright on her Booker Win!
Of course we were all rooting for her (see below).

Maeve Binchy wins Irish PEN AT Cross Award for Literature

Catherine Daly — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 10:12:00 +0000

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 will ensure that the books of all those present were face out in a prominent position – Booksellers be warned!
An appreciative audience agreed with Declan Kiberd, presenting the award, when he said that “most of [Maeve Binchy's] stories are about the pangs of adjustment- of what happens to a society that was once God-fearing and traditional when it takes on the messy complexities of the secular,modern world,” adding that hers wasn’t a fake nostalgia for a lost world but “a brave sense that the new challenges are bracing and that good people will find in themselves the resources to meet them”. While never confining her material to Ireland, she has seen it as a test case for the modern world-and the wider world acclaimed her accordingly.
Lively Celebrations continued well on into the small hours – keep visiting this site because we should have some photos to post soon.

1907- 2007 Centenary of The United Arts Club
Irish Pen offers its congratulations to The United Arts Club, its chairman and members on the centenary of the club which was founded in 1907. Over the past century it has provided a wonderful place for artists and writers to meet. For a full list of regular art exhibitions and events which take place throughout the year visit : www.dublinarts.com

Hughes and Hughes Novel of the Year Shortlist

admin — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 09:24:00 +0000

Committee member Lia Mills’s novel NOTHING SIMPLE has been shortlisted for the Hughes and Hughes Novel of the Year award. Other novels in the shortlist are: John Banville’s THE SEA, Nick Laird’s UTTERLY MONKEY, Brian Lynch’s THE WINNER OF SORROW, Mike MacCormack’s NOTES FROM A COMA, and William Wall’s THIS IS THE COUNTRY.
The winner will be announced on March 1st.

John Banville wins 2005 Booker Prize

Jean — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 15:05:00 +0000

John Banville’s ‘The Sea’ has been awarded the 2005 Man Booker Prize. Banville was previously shortlisted in 1898 for ‘The Book of Evidence’.

Official Booker Prize Site.

The David T.K. Wong Prize for Short Fiction

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 19:51:00 +0000

The purpose of this biennial international prize is to promote literary excellence in the form of the short story written in English. Stories must be unpublished and between 2,500 and 6,000 words. Entries must incorporate one or more of International PEN’s ideals as set out in its Charter. Entries should be submitted via the entrant’s local PEN Centre. The closing dates for 2007/8 is end of September 2007. First prize: £7,500. Copies of PEN’s Charter and addresses of PEN Centres can be found on website of International PEN. Details: International PEN, 9-10 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London, ECIm 7AT. Tel: 020 7253 4308; fax: 020 7253 5711; email: info@internationapen.org.uk; website: www.internationalpen.org.uk.

Christine Dwyer Hickey nominated for award

Jean — Sat, 20 Aug 2005 15:51:00 +0000

Christine Dwyer Hickey, author of critically acclaimed Tatty, has been nominated for Irish Tatler Woman of the Year. And ‘Tatty’ soon to be published in the UK