I was delighted to be at the Irish PEN Dinner where this year’s Irish PEN Award for contribution to Irish Literature went to renowned playwright and author, Frank McGuinness. Fellow playwright Sebastian Barry made the presentation at the annual Irish PEN Dinner which was held at The Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.

A host of Frank’s friends and theatre folk including Abbey Theatre director Fiach Mac Conghail and actress Rosaleen Linehan, publisher Michael O’Brien and his editor Ide Ni Laoghaire joined in the celebrations at the dinner. What a lovely night to acknowledge the massive contribution Frank has made to Irish Literature. This past year alone has brought Frank’s adaptation of The Dead and his new play The Hanging Gardens to the Abbey and also the publication of his novel Arimathea.