Liam O. Flaherty Books

A powerful and classic autobiographical novel. Nine men go Over theTop in mud and rain and darkness, urged on by an Authority invisible and remorseless somewhere behind the lines, to seek a Foe they re destined never to encounter. The men are tough lads of the bombing squad, nine human individuals, living and real persons, a little world of diverse characters merged into a Unit for the purposes of this excursion into No Man s Land. One at a time they die, in terrible and futile ways. Still the bombing squad advances, floundering, towards the Foe, lost, hungry, over-exhausted; dully courageous, vague, stupefied: returning to the Brute As the climax of this tremendous story is reached, the reader is gripped by a universal tragedy which goes beyond even the Great War to that final starkness and terror which only a genius can portray. Liam O Flaherty served as a private in the Irish Guards and was wounded at Passchendaele, and he knew what he is writing about. This is a man s book for all time: or for as long as men shall die together in comradeship, bravely and blindly.

By the author of The Wilderness and The Black Soul. This collection of short stories reveals a range of human emotions in the setting of rural Ireland.

Set in the period of the Great Famine of the 1840s, Famine is the story of three generations of the Kilmartin family. It is a masterly historical novel, rich in language, character, and plot--a panoramic story of passion, tragedy, and resilience.

Forty-nine-year-old Mr Gilhooley is living two the one drinking in the pubs of Dublin, the other desperate and lonely, longing for love. A chance encounter with the innocent and yet destructive Nelly starts a chain of compelling, dark and menacing events.This is the underworld of 1920's Dublin. Death, violence, sex, religion and love entwine and weave paths in this visually rich and passionate tragic-comedy.Mr Gilhooley rivalled the fame of Joyce's Ulysses when it was first published, and was reviewed by W.B. Yeats as "a great novel."

Gypo, an ex-policeman, who takes blood money for betraying his friend and comrade, is a force from whom neither friend nor comrade is safe. Set in 1920's Ireland, this story portrays the Dublin underworld and inspired the classic John Ford film.

From vicious rival brothers to desperate single mothers, frisky newlyweds to frigid life partners, Patrick McGinley covers all kinds of Irish (or simply human) relationship in this collection of short stories. In fourteen stories, some brief glimpses of an hour in the life, some longer explorations of years of growing animosity, McGinley explores the ties that bind us: the bond of family, unbreakable even when we wish it severed; the financial and emotional connections we make with our neighbours and colleagues; even the brief and tenuous link between a con artist and his prey. In turns hilarious and heart-wrenching, sweet and savage, Irish Portraits gives the reader a first-hand look at the lives of its characters, a handful of countrymen with one thing in common: their humanity.

From the introduction by Dr Jenny Farrell: Liam O'Flaherty spent the best part of a year in the United States, from late April 1934 to June 1935, mostly in Hollywood. It was the year his cousin John Ford made the famous film adaptation of O'Flaherty's 1925 novel "The Informer..". Originally published in 1935, "Hollywood Cemetery" is O'Flaherty's sardonic fictionalised account of his encounter with an industry that is emblematic of the American Way of Life. The disclaimer "All the characters in this book are highly improbable for obvious reasons" - sets the tone. The entire novel continues in this riotous manner, telling the story of the Irish writer Brian Carey working with American producer Jack Mortimer, his companion-secretary Larry Dafoe and cameraman Shultz, to make a film of his novel "The Emigrant." What unfolds exposes the core of Hollywood film-making.

Set in rural Ireland in 1910, the narrative intertwines themes of love, religion, and patriotism, reflecting the societal influences of the time. The characters navigate their relationships against a backdrop of deep-rooted beliefs and national pride, exploring how these elements shape their lives and interactions.

Selected by scholars for its cultural significance, this work contributes to the foundational knowledge of civilization. Its insights and themes are deemed essential for understanding historical and societal contexts, making it a valuable resource for both academic study and general exploration of human thought and culture.

Set in 1924, the story follows Michael McDare, an Irish rebel interned in England who escapes to the United States. Over three years, he meticulously plans a political assassination, gathering funds and refining his strategy. Upon returning to Dublin in disguise, he enlists a group of former allies from the Irish republican cause to aid in his mission, highlighting themes of loyalty, rebellion, and the quest for justice.