Paul Delaney

Sean O'faolain: Literature, Inheritance and the 1930s Paul Delaney

Sean O'Faolain was one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century Irish culture. A short-story writer of international repute, he was also a leading commentator and critic, and was editor of the landmark journal The Bell. His work was central to the evolution of post-independence Irish writing, and his voice was one of the most prominent, and eloquent, in the fight against censorship in Ireland. Paul Delaney presents an innovative re-reading and vibrant study of O'Faolain's diversity and influence, engaging with the non-fiction as well as the novels and short stories. From the conflicting biographies of Eamon de Valera to the controversies and debates of the 1940s, the importance of O'Faolain's legacy and relevance to modern readers is teased out in accessible and original insights.