Iconic Irish Author Edna O'Brien Passes Away at 93

Renowned Irish author Edna O'Brien, famous for her breakthrough novel 'The Country Girls', has died at the age of 93. Known for her feminist viewpoints and capturing the complexities of the human condition, O'Brien leaves behind a significant literary legacy.

Edna O'Brien, the celebrated Irish author known for book series like 'The Country Girls,' has passed away at the age of 93, as reported by People. Her publisher, Faber Books, confirmed her death in a statement on X.

'It is with great sadness that Caroline Michel at PFD and Faber announce the death of beloved author Edna O'Brien,' the statement read. 'She died peacefully on Saturday 27 July after a long illness. Our thoughts are with her family and friends, especially her sons Marcus and Carlo. The family has requested privacy at this time.' Born in 1930 in County Clare, Ireland, O'Brien gained literary fame with her debut novel, 'The Country Girls,' published in 1960. The series, including sequels 'The Lonely Girl' and 'Girls in Their Married Bliss', follows protagonists Caithleen and Baba as they navigate their lives.

Despite its success in Britain and the U.S., 'The Country Girls' was banned in Ireland due to its controversial content and conflicting with Catholic values. 'I believe that mental disturbance by literature is a healthy and invigorating thing,' O'Brien stated in 1965. 'We have plenty of comfortable and easy prose all around us, but it's by abrasion that people's prejudices are aroused.'

Initially starting her career as a pharmacist in 1950, O'Brien later moved to London and began writing. She was commissioned by publisher Hutchinson to write her own novel soon after. Over the years, O'Brien's novels, such as 'House of Splendid Isolation' and 'The Little Red Chairs,' received acclaim for their feminist themes and depictions of women in male-dominated societies.

O'Brien, who also wrote screenplays, plays, and a memoir titled 'Country Girl,' was known for her nuanced exploration of female experiences. 'I've fallen in and out of favour with feminists because I do not write to formula or adhere to rigid political correctness,' she said in a 2015 Faber interview. 'But let me say this, I know that women have been treated appallingly down the ages.'

'I grew up in a patriarchal society, and my first books, though comedic, are partly a protest. I do not apologize for giving my women broken hearts; it happens to men too,' she expressed. Faber hailed O'Brien as 'one of the greatest writers of our age,' noting her profound influence on Irish literature and subsequent writers.

Over her career, O'Brien garnered several accolades, including the 2001 Irish PEN Lifetime Achievement Award and the country's highest literary honor, the Saoi of Aosdana, presented by Irish President Michael D. Higgins in 2015. O'Brien is survived by her sons Carlo and Sasha Gebler.

(With inputs from agencies.)