*Five Leaves Bookshop

Edna O’Brien first novel, The County Girls, caused a furore on publication in 1960, chiefly for its frank depiction of young women’s sexual desires. It was banned in her home country of Ireland, as were several of her subsequent books. While the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement was set up in 1970 and Irish society began to change, albeit very slowly at first, it took quite a while for readers to recognise the ground-breaking and revolutionary nature of O’Brien’s work. This talk argues for her importance in the story of Irish literature and society:  the foundational work in her novels and short stories opened up a new way for Irish women, in particular, to see themselves. The focus will be on O’Brien’s fiction set in Ireland.