Enright enters literary Hall of Fame

Top novelist Anne Enright today entered the Hennessy Literary Awards Hall of Fame.

The Co Dublin-born writer was presented with the accolade at a ceremony in the capital’s Four Seasons Hotel.

Enright became a giant of the literary world after she won the 2007 Man Booker Prize for her novel The Gathering.

She is also the author of three other novels, one of which, 'What Are You Like?', was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel Award and won the Encore Award.

Maurice Hennessy from Hennessy Cognac said: “Anne Enright was the perfect and most deserving candidate for the 2007 Hall of Fame award.

“Her beautiful novels have always received high critical acclaim and it is with considerable pride that a Mann Booker prize winner be entered into the Hennessy X.O Hall of Fame.”

The much coveted 2007 Hennessy X.O New Irish Writer Award was presented to Valerie Sir from Waterford for her emerging fiction 'Summer Rain'.

Other awards presented today included Best First Fiction Writer to Senior Counsel Michael O’Higgins for his short story 'The Great Escape' and Best Emerging Poetry to Mary Madec, nominated for her poem 'In Other Words'.

Now in its 37th year, the Hennessy X.O Literary Awards provides the undiscovered writer and poet with an opportunity to break through the barriers to see their work published.

Previous winners include Joseph O’Connor, Colum McCann, Frank McGuinness, Marina Carr, Phillip O’Ceallaigh, and Pat McCabe.