Maggie O’Farrell, “Land” & Ireland’s Resistance to Cultural Erasure by British Rule

“Land” is rich retelling of Ireland’s long struggle against British rule. In the 1860’s, British authorities order a mapping ordinance of Ireland to strengthen their control of the Irish. Devastated by the potato blight and the great hunger, the terrain is dotted by abandoned properties to be catalogued. While employed in this project, Tomás enters an ancient copse where he experiences a transformative revelation at a pre-Christian holy spring. Tomás sets out to draw his own map based on how the Irish inhabitants understand their land, using their language, honoring the lost communities, the woods and waterways and cultural landscape meant to be erased by the British overlords. Seminar participants are encouraged to read this new novel by the acclaimed Irish-British author before class (and to start early as it is long!).

Mary Murphy, Ph.D., received her doctorate in English and American Literature from New York University. Her expertise is in the 19^th-century American novel. Newport artists and writers are an area of interest as are classic films. Mary taught English at the university level for many years before retiring to Newport.