irish writers union

Presentation of prizes for the inaugural James Plunkett Memorial Award was made in the Irish Writers Centre on June 1, 2004

The winners were.

First (€5,000) Susan Knight for her story Letting Rip.

Second (€2,500) Brendan Landers for his story Maltesers Crisps and a Toblerone.

Third (€1,500) William Davison for his story Four Seasons.

The Strumpet City Prize (€1,000) Joe Johnston for his story The Nixer.

The awards were presented by author Sam McAughtry who is himself an honorary life member of the Irish Writers Union as was James Plunkett. The award is a tribute to James Plunkett (1920-2003) novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, TV producer, and trade unionist.

The Judges were: Tony Hickey, adapter of Plunkett's Strumpet City for radio, and former IWU Chair. Morgan Llywelyn, author, former IWU Chair, and ICLA Board member. Michael Scott, author, former IWU Chair, and ICLA Chair.

The prizes were funded by The Irish Copyright Licensing Agency, and the competition was funded and administered by the Irish Writers' Union.

The ICLA funded the prizes from non-title specific monies received by it from the Netherlands for the use of Irish published works in the education and business administration sectors.

The Irish Copyright Licensing Agency (ICLA) licenses public access to copyright protected works. Its blanket licences provide users with immediate, lawful and economical access to excerpts from published works while ensuring that copyright owners are fairly compensated for that use. ICLA represents the reprographic rights interests of authors and publishers in Ireland, as well as those of rightsholders around the globe. Visit online at www.icla.ie.

James Plunkett

James (Plunkett) Kelly was born on the 21st of May 1920 in Dublin. Regarded as one of Ireland’s finest novelists and short story writers, his works are steeped in the realistic tradition of the generation of writers before him.

At seventeen, Plunkett left school and went to work for the Dublin Gas Company, where he became involved with the Workers’ Union of Ireland.

He became branch secretary in 1946, and worked for the labour leader Big Jim Larkin. Larkin’s son, Jim Junior, was disputes officer of the Irish Writers’ Union in the 1990s.

In October 2000, Jim Plunkett accepted the Irish Writers’ Union offer of honorary life membership at an event in Dublin when fellow writers paid tribute to the unassuming writer and trade unionist for his 80th birthday.

He said in response: “No false modesty; but I do not think I earned all this.”

IWU Chair at the time, Tony Hickey, said James Plunkett, without ever compromising the quality and excellence of his writing, gave the marginalised, the deprived, and the poor, a voice. His writings are a history of a people whom others might liked to have seen ignored. more
Jim passed away on 27 May 2003

Jim Plunkett’s works include

Homecoming (Radio play) 1954;

The Eagle and the Trumpets and other Stories (short stories) 1954;

The Trusting and the Maimed (short stories) 1959;

Strumpet City (Novel) 1969;

The Gems She Wore: A Book of Irish Places (Travel) 1973;

Farewell Companions (Novel) 1977

and

The Risen People (Play) 1978.

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	Irish Writers Union Chomhar na Scribhneoiri	James Plunkett Memorial Award
This is the website of the Irish Writers' Union, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. 01-872 13 02. or email The website is edited by Brendan Nolan	Presentation of prizes for the inaugural James Plunkett Memorial Award was made in the Irish Writers Centre on June 1, 2004 The winners were. First (€5,000) Susan Knight for her story Letting Rip. Second (€2,500) Brendan Landers for his story Maltesers Crisps and a Toblerone. Third (€1,500) William Davison for his story Four Seasons. The Strumpet City Prize (€1,000) Joe Johnston for his story The Nixer. The awards were presented by author Sam McAughtry who is himself an honorary life member of the Irish Writers Union as was James Plunkett. The award is a tribute to James Plunkett (1920-2003) novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, TV producer, and trade unionist. The Judges were: Tony Hickey, adapter of Plunkett's Strumpet City for radio, and former IWU Chair. Morgan Llywelyn, author, former IWU Chair, and ICLA Board member. Michael Scott, author, former IWU Chair, and ICLA Chair. The prizes were funded by The Irish Copyright Licensing Agency, and the competition was funded and administered by the Irish Writers' Union. The ICLA funded the prizes from non-title specific monies received by it from the Netherlands for the use of Irish published works in the education and business administration sectors. The Irish Copyright Licensing Agency (ICLA) licenses public access to copyright protected works. Its blanket licences provide users with immediate, lawful and economical access to excerpts from published works while ensuring that copyright owners are fairly compensated for that use. ICLA represents the reprographic rights interests of authors and publishers in Ireland, as well as those of rightsholders around the globe. Visit online at www.icla.ie. James Plunkett James (Plunkett) Kelly was born on the 21st of May 1920 in Dublin. Regarded as one of Ireland’s finest novelists and short story writers, his works are steeped in the realistic tradition of the generation of writers before him. At seventeen, Plunkett left school and went to work for the Dublin Gas Company, where he became involved with the Workers’ Union of Ireland. He became branch secretary in 1946, and worked for the labour leader Big Jim Larkin. Larkin’s son, Jim Junior, was disputes officer of the Irish Writers’ Union in the 1990s. In October 2000, Jim Plunkett accepted the Irish Writers’ Union offer of honorary life membership at an event in Dublin when fellow writers paid tribute to the unassuming writer and trade unionist for his 80th birthday. He said in response: “No false modesty; but I do not think I earned all this.” IWU Chair at the time, Tony Hickey, said James Plunkett, without ever compromising the quality and excellence of his writing, gave the marginalised, the deprived, and the poor, a voice. His writings are a history of a people whom others might liked to have seen ignored. more Jim passed away on 27 May 2003 Jim Plunkett’s works include Homecoming (Radio play) 1954; The Eagle and the Trumpets and other Stories (short stories) 1954; The Trusting and the Maimed (short stories) 1959; Strumpet City (Novel) 1969; The Gems She Wore: A Book of Irish Places (Travel) 1973; Farewell Companions (Novel) 1977 and The Risen People (Play) 1978. home aims benefits committee events faq honoured plunkett join links contract membersites news plr reviewing tax	“No false modesty; but I do not think I earned all this.” James Plunkett
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