Everyone’s favorite “wee lesbian” and her quirky friends in the series ‘Derry Girls’ won the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Literary Prize!
The award is meant to honor and recognize works that promote “a greater understanding between the peoples of Britain and Ireland, or closer co-operation between the partners of the European Community”.
Creator and writer Lisa McGee accepted the major literary prize in London where she expressed her gratitude, stating that the award means the world to her, the ‘Derry Girls’ team, and her family.
The multi-award-winning writer experienced firsthand growing up in a politically tense environment. She added that instead of focusing only on the dreary parts, she wanted to create a show that extends beyond turbulence into the arena of hope. ‘Derry Girls’ became a fruit of that— an exploration of youth, uniqueness, character, and joy amidst conflict.
She added, “Laughter is what helps us through the toughest of challenges.”
The episode that won the award is its finale showing its main characters Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Orla (Louisa Harland), Clare (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and James (Dylan Llewellyn) vote in the 1998 referendum on the Good Friday Agreement.
According to the judges, ‘Derry Girls’ was able to unearth the underlying questions of prejudice, antagonism, cultural division, and violence of the current time but tell it with a sense of empathy, verve, and unique humor.
the way i’m never getting over how the derry girls all wear rainbow pins to support clare after she comes out (and that clare wears two, obviously, as the lesbian queen) pic.twitter.com/7oWxKrj5yY
— ❦ (@D4LL4SWINSTON) May 21, 2020
