b'THE HISTORY OF THE AWB VINCENT AMERICAN IRELAND FUND LITERARY AWARD1 9 7 22 0 1 2In 1972 , Tom Jordan conceived for the American-Irish Since1972,TheAWBVincentAmericanIrelandFund FoundationthenotionofabursarywhichwouldallowaLiteraryAwardhasestablisheditselfasoneofthemost promising young writer to devote a full year to her or his work. important accolades given to Irish writers. Supported initiallyWhen the American-Irish Foundation and The Ireland Fund by Thomas F. ONeil and family and since then by Maryonwere merged, the Award, by then well established and wellDaviesLewis,theAwardshonoreeshavebeenmenandregarded, was continued. women of great artistry and creative skill whose work has givenThe objectives of the Award are to give young writers a voicetoIrelandspastandpresent,itsdelightsandits boost and creative space and also recognize those whose life- sorrows. Since its inception, Award recipients have gatheredtime contributions have enriched Irelands cultural heritage. an array of prestigious honors including, The Nobel Prize inLiterature, The Man Booker Prize and Pulitzer Prize.1972 Austin Clarke 1986SenFaolin and Hubert Butler 2000 Edna OBrien1973Seamus Heaney 1987Derek Mahon 2001Tom MacIntyre1974 Thomas Kilroy 1988John B. Keane 2002Dermot Healy1975 John Banville 1989Seamus Deane 2003Marina Carr1976 Dervla Murphy 1990Michael Hartnett 2004Paul Muldoon1977 Aidan Higgins 1991 Nuala N Dhomhnaill 2005William Trevor1978Paul Smith 1992Frank McGuinness 2006Eugene McCabe1979Mary Lavin 1993 Bryan McMahon 2007CathalSearcaigh1980 BenedictKiely 1994 Eavan Boland 2008David Park1981 Brian Friel 1995 John Montague 2010 Colm Tibn1982Michael McLaverty 1996 Michael Longley 2011Colum McCann1983 Richard Murphy 1997Sebastian Barry 2012 Seamus Heaney1984Thomas McCarthy 1998Medbh McGuckian (Lifetime Achievement Award)1985John McGahern 1999Brendan Kennellyconnect2012 | 30'