MOVIE DIRECTOR and author Neil Jordan last night won his second Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award for his novel Mistaken, becoming the third person to win the award twice.
Jordan joined fellow authors John Banville and William Trevor by collecting, for a second time, what is the largest monetary prize available for a work of fiction by an Irish author.
Jordan’s story about two boys from 1960s Dublin who look alike but are born to families of very differing wealth earned Jordan the €15,000 reward at the opening of the 40th Listowel Writers’ Week.
The ceremony took place last night in the Listowel Arms Hotel where Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan officially opened the writers’ week.
In winning the prize, Mistakendefeated other shortlisted candidates such as Joseph O'Connor's Ghost Light, Dublin's One City, One Book selection which was also one of last year's Man Booker contenders, and Roomby Emma Donoghue.
William Ryan's atmospheric thriller The Holy Thief, which is set in Russia in 1936.
While presenting the prize to Jordan, Frank Hayes of Kerry Group said that the award “celebrates excellence in Irish fiction writing.
“This year’s shortlist included five exceptionally talented Irish writers whose work will continue to enhance Ireland’s literary reputation internationally,” Mr Hayes said.
Jordan, who last won the prize in 2005 for his novel Shade, said he was both "honoured and privileged" to accept the award.
Past winners of the prize include John McGahern, Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright and Sebastian Barry.
The writers’ festival continues until June 5th and will award more than 20 prizes to authors, stretching from short story categories to poetry to a prize for writers who are aged eight and under.
Jordan will perform a reading from Mistaken today at 1pm in The Plaza Centre in Listowel.
Tickets for the event are priced at €15.