Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee says it is a privilege to be awarded the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize for the show’s finale

The award – which is now in its 28th year – was founded in memory of the British Ambassador to Ireland who was murdered by the IRA in 1976.

The prize recognises work promoting peace and reconciliation.

Accepting the award, Ms McGee said: “It was a privilege to write this show, it is a privilege to accept this award”.

She said: “It means the world to me and to the Derry Girls team but more importantly it is something that has finally impressed my parents.”

Ms McGee, according to the BBC, received the award on Tuesday at the Irish Embassy in London.

The multi-award winning writer said growing up she sensed she was from a “complicated place”.

“But I also knew we were so much more than the image that was so often reflected back to us," she said.

“We were a place full of colour and character and joy….. all we wanted to do was put that on screen and we also wanted to make people laugh,” she said.

Find out more about the British Ambassador