Editions
On the culmination of each Edna O'Brien Young Writers Award, we publish a beautiful anthology of writing by awardees. These collectible editions are available from the MoLI shop, but also to read online here.
Edna O'Brien (1930-2024)
A writer and resolute outsider who consistently challenged the social order of her time, Edna O’Brien (1930-2024) was a fearless and deeply committed artist who remained prolific into her ninth decade – her first novel, The Country Girls, was published in 1960, and her last, Girl, in 2019.
Here at MoLI, Edna has occupied a huge place in our heart since before the museum opened. Alongside her own orbiting and championing of the work of James Joyce, Edna's integrity as an artist has been endlessly influential. As we developed the first exhibitions at the museum, it was Edna’s prose style that we aspired to – her sharpened ability to tell the truth in spare, human writing was a constant reference point.
Most importantly, Edna continues to be the inspiration for one of the museum’s most important projects, the Edna O’Brien Young Writers Award. The award was developed in 2018 with the support and guidance of arts philanthropist and Joyce scholar Suzanne Lopez. The 2024 writer mentor for the award, author Colum McCann, was instrumental in securing Edna’s imprimatur for the programme, which we hold dear.
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