Northern Ireland

Award-winning Belfast novelist Anna Burns claims €100,000 prize

Author Anna Burns from Belfast
Author Anna Burns from Belfast Author Anna Burns from Belfast

BELFAST author Anna Burns has won the International Dublin Literary Award for her novel Milkman.

With prize money of €100,000, it is the world's largest prize for a single novel published in English.

Ms Burns is the first writer from Northern Ireland to claim the award in its 25 year history.

Set during the Troubles, her novel follows an 18-year-old girl who has attracted the unwanted and unavoidable attention of a powerful and frightening older man known as `milkman'.

While the story takes place in an unnamed town and country, it appears to be the author's native north Belfast during the 1970s.

Milkman previously won the Booker Prize in 2018.

The International Dublin Literary Award receives its nominations from public libraries in cities around the world and recognises both writers and translators.

Milkman was nominated by libraries in the UK, USA and Germany, as well as Limerick City and County Libraries.

"What an honour. I'm thrilled to bits and am about to break into my sevens with the excitement of it all," Ms Burns said.

"To go from being a wee girl haggling over library cards with my siblings, my friends, neighbours, my parents and my aunt, to be standing here receiving this award is phenomenal for me, and I thank you all again for this great honour."