Irish literary icon Edna O'Brien dies aged 93 with tributes pouring in for 'transformative' figure

Iconic Irish author Edna O'Brien has sadly passed away at the age of 93 following a lengthy illness, her representative confirmed. In expressing their sadness, her loved ones asked for respect during this difficult time: "Our thoughts are with her family and friends, in particular her sons Marcus and Carlo. The family has requested privacy at this time," the statement read.

The publishing world is mourning the loss of an extraordinary talent with Faber Books honoring her as "one of the greatest writers of our age". Her prowess in capturing profound human experiences and the essence of womens lives was unparalleled.

"She revolutionised Irish literature, capturing the lives of women and the complexities of the human condition in prose that was luminous and spare, and which had a profound influence on so many writers who followed her," Faber said.

Known for her fearless pursuit of artistic innovation and truth, her spirit was described as indomitable: "A defiant and courageous spirit, Edna constantly strove to break new artistic ground, to write truthfully, from a place of deep feeling. The vitality of her prose was a mirror of her zest for life: she was the very best company, kind, generous, mischievous, brave. Edna was a dear friend to us all, and we will miss her dreadfully. It is Faber's huge privilege to publish her, and her bold and brilliant body of work lives on," the publishers continued, reports the Mirror .

President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, paid his respects by calling O'Brien a true master of the written word: "Edna was a fearless teller of truths, a superb writer possessed of the moral courage to confront Irish society with realities long ignored and suppressed," he praised.

"Through that deeply insightful work, rich in humanity, Edna O'Brien was one of the first writers to provide a true voice to the experiences of women in Ireland in their different generations and played an important role in transforming the status of women across Irish society."

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"While the beauty of her work was immediately recognised abroad, it is important to remember the hostile reaction it provoked among those who wished for the lived experience of women to remain far from the world of Irish literature, with her books shamefully banned upon their early publication."

Remembering the late author on social media, one fan mourned on X: "Edna O'Brien has left us. I cannot quite express the beauty of first discovering her work, when I was a 16-year-old, happening upon The Country Girls in Olchfa Comprehensive library. I loved it-love it still, with that thrill you can never forget of your most cherished books."

Another shared: "Such sad news. A huge privilege to meet Edna O'Brien in 2019 when she was awarded the David Cohen Prize. I told her how much my late mother, who was born the same year and grew up in a rural NZ, identified with E O'B's early writing , and she was so warm and responsive. RIP."

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