Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee has won the 28th Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize.
The Derry native was awarded this prize, which recognises work promoting peace and reconciliation, and a better understanding between the peoples in Ireland and Britain.
This award was founded in memory of Ewart-Biggs, who was a British Ambassador murdered by the IRA in 1976.
The final episode the McGee inspired Derry Girls, dramatized the passing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
The objective of this prize is to also, “recognize work that promotes and encourages peace and reconciliation in Ireland, a greater understanding between the peoples of Britain and Ireland, or closer co-operation between the partners of the European Community”.
“unique humour”
Lisa McGee was named as the winner of this prize at a reception in the Irish Embassy in London, which was presented to her by Enniskillen actor and Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar.
At the reception which took place yesterday evening, Professor Roy Foster, Irish historian and academic, also spoke on behalf of the judges.
“In the end, the Judges decided that Derry Girls approached the underlying questions of prejudice, antagonism, cultural division and violence with unique humour, empathy and verve, illuminating the decision to endorse the Good Friday Agreement and linking it to a generation coming of age at a moment of hope”, he said.
He also added, “This powerfully endorsed key objectives of the Prize, namely, to promote and encourage peace and reconciliation in Ireland, and a greater understanding between the peoples of Britain and Ireland”.
“powerful works”
Derry Girls creator McGee was picked among a shortlist of entries to win this prize.
This shortlist also included the books by Huw Bennett, Uncivil War: the British Army and the Troubles, 1966-1975 and Marilynn Richtarik, Getting to Good Friday: Literature and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland; Michael Magee’s novel, Close to Home; Owen McCafferty stage play, Agreement; and the five-part BBC TV series Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland.
“This year’s short-list highlighted various analyses of Northern Ireland’s recent past, from different genres: historical research, personal testament, literary analysis, fiction and drama”, said Professor Foster.
He also added, “Each of these powerful works defined, in unexpected ways, the journey towards the Agreement reached just over a quarter of a century ago – reminding us not only of its considerable achievement, but the fragility of the structures on which it was based”.
The first Christopher Ewart-Biggs Prize was awarded in 1977. It was also presented by the Ewarts-Biggs Trust.
The trust includes the children of Mr Ewart-Biggs, and his late widow Jane Ewart-Biggs, Robin and Kate.
Last October, the cast of Derry Girls were brought onto stage by Fatboy Slim. More on this here.
