O'Brien has described Clare as "the font," of her stories, as it was the place that shaped the deceased writers works.
Edna was described by friends as having "one theme, Women," women who loved, women who suffered, and women who were subversive. Edna received widespread criticism for the nature of her books and many were banned in Ireland in the 1970s.
Today Edna O'Brien is no longer banned or looked at in disdain. In fact Niamh Campbell, winner of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature has said that O'Brien is "an enormous influence," who's courage and ability to write openly about the world around her acts as an inspiration for many.
Ms Campbell had moved to Clare and understands how impactful the landscape can be, stating "I was thinking about what has remained the same since Edna O'Brien's childhood and really it's the landscape, it's the beauty and the smallness of the community and the closeness of people, and how different that is to cities where so much writing is produced and where a lot of writers go. It's like a resource to come from where there is so much openness, where you can be yourself."
A number of free events are being held over the weekend, funded by Clare County Council in order to celebrate the life and impact of Edna O'Brien. On Thursday the Edna O'Brien Literary Award was announced in Clare. Tours of Edna's life and talks on the author will also be on this weekend. A full list is available here.
