Opinion

Huge achievement for Anna Burns

It is striking that the author who has just been named by a London jury as the winner of the Man Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in international literature, was a pupil at Holy Cross primary school in north Belfast's Ardoyne district during a time of enormous upheaval.

Anna Burns is clearly an exceptional talent and her book, Milkman, a coming of age story about a young girl growing up in an unnamed but deeply troubled city, has made a massive impact.

Years later, after she had moved to England, her old school made international headlines when it was the target of an appalling campaign of intimidation by loyalists during 2001 and 2002.

It was never an easy environment for children but the heartening success of Ms Burns demonstrates that, with the encouragement of committed parents and teachers, there is no limit to what truly gifted students can achieve.