Dame Edna O’Brien

EAST Clare author Edna O’Brien has been honoured with her appointment as Dame of the British Empire for her services to literature. It comes six weeks after the Tuamgraney native was named as the winner of the PEN/Nabokov award for achievement in international literature.

Her nephew, Michael Blake, said this was “a long time coming” and said, having spoken to her on Wednesday and Tuesday of this past week, that Edna is delighted with the honour. He said she is currently busy working on her latest book and has found the last few weeks very busy, but rewarding.

“She is very happy to have this title, she got it for her contribution to literature and that is what her life is about, it’s not about monetary reward. She got the Pen award and now she’s got this so now she feels ‘maybe I’m doing something right and maybe all those hours of frustration and desperation were worth it’. A writer is a lonely trade but she is meticulous in her research and never risks anything. It is great for our little village too, and I’m delighted,” Michael concluded.

Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is the second highest rank in the British honours system but Edna’s title is an honorary one.

By Carol Byrne