The Man Booker Prize winning novel "The Gathering", which explores an Irish family coming together after a tragedy, was written by which Irish author?

Introduction / Context:
This question is about contemporary prize winning literature. "The Gathering" is a novel that received the Man Booker Prize and focuses on an extended Irish family confronting its past after a bereavement. The task is to recall the correct Irish author associated with this work from among several well known writers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The title of the novel is "The Gathering".
• It has won the prestigious Man Booker Prize.
• Four critically acclaimed authors are listed in the options.
• Only one of them is an Irish writer directly connected to this novel.

Concept / Approach:
Anne Enright, an Irish author, wrote "The Gathering", which went on to win the Man Booker Prize. The other names, Kazuo Ishiguro, J. M. Coetzee and Ian McEwan, are also Booker winners or nominees but for different novels. The key is to match the correct title and national background with the right writer rather than simply choosing any famous literary name.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that "The Gathering" is associated with Anne Enright and Irish family life. Step 2: Remember that the book won the Man Booker Prize, raising Enright international profile. Step 3: Compare the options. Kazuo Ishiguro is known for works like "The Remains of the Day", J. M. Coetzee for "Disgrace" and Ian McEwan for novels such as "Atonement". Step 4: None of these three has written a novel called "The Gathering", nor are they Irish women writers. Step 5: Therefore, Anne Enright is the only candidate who fits both the title and the cultural context, so choose option A.

Verification / Alternative check:
Award lists, newspaper articles and book reviews all confirm that Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize for "The Gathering". Biographical notes on her career also highlight this achievement prominently. No credible source attributes this book to the other authors provided, which confirms our answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Although Kazuo Ishiguro, J. M. Coetzee and Ian McEwan are all celebrated writers, their major Booker associated novels have different titles. They appear in the options as tempting distractions for anyone who remembers the prize but not the exact pairing of title and author. None of them wrote "The Gathering".

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent error is to recall only that "some Booker winner wrote The Gathering" and then choose a name like Ishiguro or Coetzee because they sound familiar from other questions. To avoid this, build a small mental chart connecting key Booker titles with specific authors and countries. Placing "The Gathering" under Anne Enright and Ireland helps fix this association for the long term.

Final Answer:
Anne Enright