Jennifer Johnston (born 12 January 1930) is an Irish novelist. She was born in Dublin. Johnston has won a number of awards, including the Whitbread Book Award for "The Old Jest" in 1979 and a Lifetime Achievement from the Irish Book Awards (2012). Her novel, "The Old Jest", was made into a movie called "The Dawning". Her other best known novels include: "How Many Miles to Babylon?", "The Christmas Tree", "The Railway Station Man", "The Illusionist" and "Grace and Truth".