Irish Independent 📰 news video Edna O’Brien funeral/burial RIP
10th Aug 2024

Stephen Rea read from ‘The Book of Wisdom’ at Edna O’Brien’s funeral mass held at St Joseph’s Church Tuamgraney Co Clare
👉 [ Ссылка ]

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina also attended the funeral mass. As well as Scottish novelist Andrew O’Hagen, who gave the eulogy for Edna; lyricist Sir Tim Rice who carried a framed portrait of Samuel Beckett to the altar; A copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses, the first work of Joyce Edna O’Brien had bought in Dublin, at the age of 17, was presented by her friend Barbara Broccoli.

Edna O’Brien is recognised as one of ‘the greatest Irish writers of the 20th century’ (Dwight Garner, New York Times) and “the most gifted woman now writing in English” (Philip Roth).

She was best known for her portrayal of women’s lives against repressive expectations in Irish society. Her first novel, The Country Girls, publ. in 1960 and part of a trilogy that was banned in Ireland for their references to sex and social issues; O’Brien, had lived in London since 1958, described an outraged response to her books from people in Ireland, in contrast to their international success.

Described as *”a speaker of truth”* with “something feisty in her” during her funeral mass, chief celebrant Fr Donagh O’Meara told mourners how the writer “held up a mirror for us in a very narrow time in Ireland”.

“We didn’t thank her for it. Like a lot of prophetesses of the past, we undermined her, we isolated her and rejected her message and she must have deeply felt that,” said Fr Donagh O’Meara.
He added that it must have been difficult to “stand out” like she did, for bringing important issues to light.

*”When you stand out at any moment, at any time, you find yourself isolated quite quickly. And we did that. And that is to our shame as a society and as a church. That is to our shame.”*

Her latest novel, Girl, has been described as ‘a masterclass of precision and mercilessness’ (Alex Clark, The Guardian), ‘impeccably written and indelible’ (Catherine Taylor, FT), and ‘hypnotic, lyrical, and pulsating with dark energy… a masterful study of human evil’ (Christina Patterson, Sunday Times)

Irish Times video 👉 [ Ссылка ]
RTE News video 👉 [ Ссылка ]
Irish Examiner video 👉 [ Ссылка ]

*funeral mass livestream:*
(from St Joseph’s Church, Tuamgraney, Co Clare same day as burial):
part 1 👉 [ Ссылка ]
part 2 tender moments President n Stephen 12.30min 👉 [ Ссылка ]
part 3 Stephen Rea reads from The Book of Wisdom 11:35min 👉 [ Ссылка ]
part 4 👉 [ Ссылка ]
part 5 👉 [ Ссылка ]
part 6 Michael sings Danny Boy, Andrew O’Hagan’s eulogy to Edna 👉 [ Ссылка ]
part 7 (last) 👉 [ Ссылка ]

the original livestream is still available in full on
👉 [ Ссылка ]

#ednaobrien
#stephenreaforever
#countyclare
#stephenrea
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