In the run-up to St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to give a nod to my Irish heritage by reading The Oxford Book of Irish Short Stories. I’ve had this book on my shelf for years so this seemed like the Right Time to finally read it. William Trevor does an excellent job selecting stories for this book. Trevor omitted George Bernard Shaw and Sean O’Casey “because they conveyed their ideas more skillfully in another medium; and Samuel Beckett…for the same reason.” (p. xvi)
Of the writers Trevor includes, James Joyce’s “The Dead,” Joyce Cary’s “Bush River,” Liam O’Flaherty’s “The Pelar’s Revenge and “The Fanatic” stood out to me. Trevor doesn’t hesitate to include more than one story for some of the authors.
The stories in The Oxford Book of Irish Short Stories are arranged chronologically so the development of Irish literature is on display. If you’re interested in wonderful short stories with a wide variety of styles and sensibilities, I highly recommend you try The Oxford Book of Irish Short Stories. Do you have a favorite Irish writer? GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION — ix
Hour of death — 1
Fionn in search of his youth — 2
Cromwell and the friar — 3
Girl and the sailor — 9
Four-leafed shamrock and the cock — 11
Cow that ate the piper [folk-tales edited and translated from the Irish by Sean O’Sullivan] — 12
Conal and Donal and Taig [folk-tale translated and retold by Seumas MacManus] — 14
Adventures of a strolling player / Oliver Goldsmith — 19
Limerick gloves / Maria Edgeworth — 27
Death of a devotee / William Carleton — 52
Brown man / Gerald Griffin — 73
Green tea / Sheridan Le Fanu — 78
Albert Nobbs / George Moore — 109
Sphinx without a secret / Oscar Wilde — 152
Philippa’s fox-hunt / E. E. Somerville & Martin Ross — 157
Priest / Daniel Corkery — 172
Weaver’s grave / Seumas O’Kelly — 182
The Dead / James Joyce — 228
My little black ass / Padraic O Conaire — 267
Triangle / James Stephens — 271
Bush river / Joyce Cary — 277
The Pedlar’s revenge / Liam O’Flaherty — 287
The Fanatic / Liam O’Flaherty — 300
Her table spread / Elizabeth Bowen — 311
The Faithless wife / Sean O’Faolain — 319
The Sugawn chair / Sean O’Faolain — 338
Guests of the nation / Frank O’Connor — 342
The Majesty of the law / Frank O’Connor — 354
Pastorale / Patrick Boyle — 363
The Hare-lip / Martin O Cadhain — 375
The Poteen maker / Michael McLaverty — 382
The Ring / Bryan MacMahon — 388
Sarah / Mary Lavin — 392
Desert Island / Terence De Vere White — 401
The Pilgrims / Benedict Kiely — 412
Weep for our pride / James Plunkett — 425
Loser / Val Mulkerns — 437
The Bird I fancied / Aidan Higgins — 445
Death in Jerusalem / William Trevor — 455
The Diviner / Brian Friel — 471
An Occasion of sin / John Montague — 482
Irish revel / Edna O’Brien — 495
First conjugation / Julia O’Faolain — 515
The Beginning of an idea / John McGahern —
Life drawing / Bernard Mac Laverty — 541
Airedale / Desmond Hogan — 553
ACKLOWLEGEMENTS — 565
INDEX OF AUTHORS — 569
Np particular favorite, George; my favorite tends to be whoever I’m reading at the moment. There are a lot of great stories and a lot of great authors here.
Also recommended is SHADOW VOICES: 300 YEARS OF IRISH GENRE FICTION: A HISTORY IN STORIES (2021), edited by John Connolly.
Jerry, I have a copy of SHADOW VOICES around here somewhere. I’ll move it to the Real Real Soon stack as soon as I find it based on your recommendation!
So happy to see there is a Mary Lavin story in here. She was a favorite of mine.
Patti, I liked Mary Lavin’s “Sarah” and Edna O’Brien’s “Irish Revel” too.
Nice collection. No one favorite, but I’ve read most of Shaw’s plays, all of Wilde’s and all of O’Casey’s. I like Lord Dunsany’s stories.
Of current writers, I’d highly recommend Claire Keegan. I also like some of Roddy Doyle’s books, and Colm Toibin, and of course Frank McCourt (though he was born in Brooklyn, he grew up in Ireland). Mystery writers? Ken Bruen is a favorite.
Jeff, I’ve read and admire all the Irish writers you mention. I also like Flann O’Brien, Brendan Behan, and Maeve Higgins.
Oliver Goldsmith is another, one might argue, who might be better remembered for his work in other forms…my earliest favorite would’ve been Fitz-James O’Brien, and Bob Shaw is another I’ve particularly enjoyed reading who hasn’t yet been mentioned. Swift, of course. Brian Moore, another expat.
Todd, I have an OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS edition of Swift that I’ve been meaning to read for years. I’ve read a number of Brian Moore’s novels and have a review of one scheduled for April.
I don’t know if I can count Brian Moore as a favorite; I haven’t read enough by him. But I have enjoyed what I have read and plan to read more by him.
Tracy, I have a handful of Brian Moore’s books waiting to be read. I plan to read and review one in the month ahead. Like you, I’ve enjoyed all the book Brian Moore books I’ve read.
I’m a Scottie! Blast the Irish, except for the ones I like!
Bob, I hope I’m on the “Like” list.