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Cruiskeen Lawn
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About the author
Flann O'Brien
63 books817 followersPseudonym of
Brian Ó Nualláin
, also known as Brian O'Nolan.
His English novels appeared under the name of Flann O’Brien, while his great Irish novel and his newspaper column (which appeared from 1940 to 1966) were signed Myles na gCopaleen or Myles na Gopaleen – the second being a phonetic rendering of the first. One of twelve brothers and sisters, he was born in 1911 in Strabane, County Tyrone, into an Irish-speaking family. His father had learned Irish while a young man during the Gaelic revival the son was later to mock. O’Brien’s childhood has been described as happy, though somewhat insular, as the language spoken at home was not that spoken by their neighbours. The Irish language had long been in decline, and Strabane was not in an Irish-speaking part of the country. The family moved frequently during O’Brien’s childhood, finally settling in Dublin in 1925. Four years later O’Brien took up study in University College Dublin.
Flann O'Brien is considered a major figure in twentieth century Irish literature. Flann O'Brien novels have attracted a wide following for their bizarre humour and Modernist metafiction.
The café and shop of Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich (www.culturlann.ie), at the heart of the Belfast Gaeltacht Quarter, is named An Ceathrú Póilí ("The Fourth Policeman"), as a play-on-words of the title of O'Brien's book The Third Policeman.
His English novels appeared under the name of Flann O’Brien, while his great Irish novel and his newspaper column (which appeared from 1940 to 1966) were signed Myles na gCopaleen or Myles na Gopaleen – the second being a phonetic rendering of the first. One of twelve brothers and sisters, he was born in 1911 in Strabane, County Tyrone, into an Irish-speaking family. His father had learned Irish while a young man during the Gaelic revival the son was later to mock. O’Brien’s childhood has been described as happy, though somewhat insular, as the language spoken at home was not that spoken by their neighbours. The Irish language had long been in decline, and Strabane was not in an Irish-speaking part of the country. The family moved frequently during O’Brien’s childhood, finally settling in Dublin in 1925. Four years later O’Brien took up study in University College Dublin.
Flann O'Brien is considered a major figure in twentieth century Irish literature. Flann O'Brien novels have attracted a wide following for their bizarre humour and Modernist metafiction.
The café and shop of Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich (www.culturlann.ie), at the heart of the Belfast Gaeltacht Quarter, is named An Ceathrú Póilí ("The Fourth Policeman"), as a play-on-words of the title of O'Brien's book The Third Policeman.
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May 27, 2024
The Best of Cruisekeen Lawn by Myles na gCopaleen: A Collection of Columns on the 50th Anniversary of Brian O’Nolan’s Death, selected and introduced by Frank McNally (2016)
Here are twenty-four of the columns written by Brian O’Nolan in the Irish Times, collected from 1941-1957, and published here in an ebook available online. The material ranges from tall tales to political critiques to social commentary, all offered in O’Nolan’s (or Myles na gCopaleen’s or Flann O’Brien’s, take your pick I guess) discursive voice and acerbic wit. It’s a little like having your ear bent by a local at the corner pub and just like that experience both funny and rewarding as well as cryptic and confusing. It makes total sense as “cruisekeen lawn” is anglicized Gaelic for “full jug.” And just like with listening to a local ramble on, I certainly could have used some footnotes for context and a glossary at times, but nonetheless enjoyed myself.
In my GR short story group, we recently read Flann O’Brien’s “John Duffy’s Brother,” which is a delightful piece about a man who wakes up one morning and thinks he is a train. Finding this tale to be a delight, I wanted to read some more of O’Brien/O’Nolan, and so now I have. I think I shall read some more.
Link to the collection:
https://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_f...
Here are twenty-four of the columns written by Brian O’Nolan in the Irish Times, collected from 1941-1957, and published here in an ebook available online. The material ranges from tall tales to political critiques to social commentary, all offered in O’Nolan’s (or Myles na gCopaleen’s or Flann O’Brien’s, take your pick I guess) discursive voice and acerbic wit. It’s a little like having your ear bent by a local at the corner pub and just like that experience both funny and rewarding as well as cryptic and confusing. It makes total sense as “cruisekeen lawn” is anglicized Gaelic for “full jug.” And just like with listening to a local ramble on, I certainly could have used some footnotes for context and a glossary at times, but nonetheless enjoyed myself.
In my GR short story group, we recently read Flann O’Brien’s “John Duffy’s Brother,” which is a delightful piece about a man who wakes up one morning and thinks he is a train. Finding this tale to be a delight, I wanted to read some more of O’Brien/O’Nolan, and so now I have. I think I shall read some more.
Link to the collection:
https://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_f...
Displaying 1 of 1 review