November Book of the Month 2021

An Bhrachlainn Mhór, is a new edition of Ó Flaithearta’s short stories, edited by Éamon Ó Ciosáin and published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht. This volume contains some previously published stories in Irish and a story in English, ‘Riders to the Sea’, as well as stories and an unfinished novel which remained in manuscript after his death. They tell of island life, its tragedy and humorous moments, the fierce struggle of fishermen and small farmers eking out a living in the face of the elements. O’Flaherty describes his native community sympathetically and wrote from intimate knowledge of social customs, emigration, fishing and wildlife.