Writers News
FRENCH PRIZE FOR EDNA
Edna O’Brien, now ninety years old and one of Ireland’s most celebrated writers, was recently named Commander of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France’s highest and most prestigious cultural honour. O’Brien’s work spans over sixty years, from The Country Girls in 1960 (it was banned in Ireland on original publication) to her most recent book, Girl. The French embassy in Ireland described the author as ‘one of the greatest writers of the 20th century’ and that O’Brien ‘has built a special relationship with France and the French public both for the quality of her writing but also for her universal struggles, which received a particular resonance in France.’