Cork writer William Trevor is to be presented with a lifetime achievement award by fellow author Maeve Binchy tonight at a ceremony in Dublin.
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William Trevor
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The Irish PEN/AT Cross Literary Award is being awarded to the 73-year-old author in recognition of over 40 years of literary work.
Originally from Mitchelstown, Co Cork, Trevor's first novel The Old Boyswas published in 1964 and won the Hawthornden Prize.
Since then he has written 11 novels, nine collections of short stories, and a collection of autobiographical essays, Excursions in the Real World(1993). He is the editor of the Oxford Book of Short Stories (1989) and has written plays for the stage and for radio and television.
His novel Felicia's Journey(1994), which won both the Whitbred Book of the Year and the Sunday Express Book of the Year Awards, was adapted for the big-screen by director Atom Egoyan and starred Bob Hopkins, Elaine Cassidy and Peter McDonald.
Trevor's novels Fools of Fortune(1983) and The Children of Dynmouth(1976) also won the Whitbred Fiction Award. Other awards include the Allied Irish Banks' Prize for his latest story collection; the Sunday TimesAward for Literary Excellence 1992; David Cohen British Literature Prize 1999 and in 1977 he was awarded an honorary CBE in recognition of his services to literature.
Tonight’s event will see Meave Binchy along with her husband Gordon Snell present Trevor with the award, specially designed by Irish sculptor David Sisk.
It is the fourth time the Society for Irish Writers has awarded a fellow writer for a lifetime’s work. The previous recipients include John B. Keane, Brian Friel and Edna O’Brien. As well as Meave Binchy the society also ranks among its members such literary luminaries as Seamus Heaney, Bernard Farrell and Jennifer Johnson.
Trevor settled in England almost 50 years ago, he now lives in Devon.