Book News
Enright celebrates Booker victory
Wednesday 17 October 2007
The announcement means the 45-year-old Dublin woman becomes the second Irish writer in three years to win the £50,000 (€70,000) award.
Minister for Arts, Tourism & Sport, Seamus Brennan said Ireland could be truly proud of her success against such a prestigious and internationally recognised short list of other competing writers.
The Director of the Arts Council, Mary Cloake, said the win raised the awareness of the wealth of literary talent that continued to emerge in Ireland.
Anne Enright looked genuinely surprised as she got up to receive her prize at a ceremony in London's Guildhall last night.
She had not been the bookies' favourite to win but the judges described her novel about three generations of an Irish family as a powerful, uncomfortable and at times angry book.
'The Gathering' is Anne Enright's fourth novel. She published her first book in 1995.
She joins previous Irish Booker winners John Banville who won two years ago, Roddy Doyle in 1993 and Iris Murdoch who won in 1978.
As well as the prize money, a Booker win means a huge increase in sales and worldwide recognition for an author.
Listen to Anne Enright's podcast for 'Drivetime' in the run-up to the Man Booker Prize ceremony here.
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