Event—Adult Education

The Contemporary Irish Short Story

Explore the contemporary Irish short story through the fiction of some of Ireland’s best writers, including Colm Toibin, Edna O’Brien, Clare Boylan, Sean O’Faolain, William Trevor, and Claire Keegain.

Newberry Adult Education Seminars will meet virtually via Zoom. For more information about the Newberry’s virtual seminars, including a Zoom tutorial, please see our Virtual Seminars FAQ page. If you have questions about online learning, please reach out to seminars@newberry.org.

Seminar Description

Explore the contemporary Irish short story through the fiction of some of Ireland’s best writers, including Colm Toibin, Edna O’Brien, Clare Boylan, Sean O’Faolain, William Trevor, and Claire Keegain. Dive into the fictional portraits and emotional strains of close families, the confinement of provincial life, and the scandal of broken social norms through the short prose of celebrated Irish writers.

Six sessions. Registration – $230

Joseph Heininger is a professor of English at Dominican University, where he teaches courses in modern Irish literature and modern British literature. His interests include modern poetry, the novel, and the intersections of literature and religion.

Materials List

Required:

First Reading:

  • For the first session, please read Clare Boylan's "Villa Marta" and Edna O'Brien's "Sister Imelda."

Registration Information

Registration opens at 9 am (CST) on Wednesday, May 19th. Newberry Associates members at the Literati level and above will have access to early registration beginning May 12th at 10am. Learn more about membership benefits and becoming a Newberry Associate.

Please note: For more information about registration, including a guide to online registration, see our Registration Information page. Questions? Please contact seminars program staff via email at seminars@newberry.org.

We offer a 10% discount to members, seniors, and students.

This seminar is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about registering for a seminar, program policies, or teaching a seminar.