Letters of Sean O'Casey to Mai McCarthy,
1954-1964.
In his letters to Miss McCarthy, O'Casey wrote about life, religion, his writing, the works of other writers, as well as personal matters such as his family, his health, Miss McCarthy's health and work, and her tendency to overdo it, which he mentions often. A warm friendship clearly existed between them. Amongst the writers O'Casey mentions are Joyce, Frank O'Connor, Denis Johnston, Swift, Dickens and Henry James.
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| Main Creator: | |
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| Contributors: | |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
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| Notes: | Manuscript letters from Sean O'Casey to Mai McCarthy, an Irish woman who lived in New York. There is also one letter from Miss McCarthy to O'Casey and one letter from Eileen O'Casey to Mai McCarthy. Many of O'Casey's letters are single-sheet air letters; several have separate envelopes included. Physical description: 30 items. more |
| Arrangement: | Fonds |
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Autograph letter, signed, from Sean O'Casey to Mai McCarthy,
1955 Nov. 24.
| In Collection: | Letters of Sean O'Casey to Mai McCarthy |
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| Description: | O'Casey chides McCarthy gently for taking on too much, in studying Philosophy, Drama, Social Ethics, History and Hygiene; he takes the example of Florence Nightingale and the nuns who worked in the Crimean War, whose knowledge of hygiene gained during the course of their work, caused a revolution in practice. He goes on to mention his uncle, wounded at Balaclava, who often spoke of these women. O'Casey goes on to discuss the relationship between religion and life; the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican; Newman and the Tractarian Movement. He reminices about an encounter with an aquaintenance, a writer called Robert Lynch, and says that few great writers or actors have come from the north of Ireland. He names those he regards as the best. He thinks the present generation of Irish people have opportunities to develop their talents, which their fathers lacked, but is anxious that so many are not availing of them. He tells McCarthy that his play 'Red Roses for me' has opened and will be travelling to Boston and then New York. He is currently writing the foreword to the book of dramatic criticism 'The Green Crow', which he expects to be published in the spring. |
| Main Creator: | |
| Language: | English |
| Extent: | 1 item (2 pages). |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Call Number: |
MS 49,744/11 (1-2)
(Manuscripts Reading Room) |
| Rights: | Reproduction rights owned by the National Library of Ireland. |