The Political Dimension of Myles na gCopaleen’s Cruiskeen Lawn

By Germán Asensio Peral
Published by Palgrave Macmillan, 2026.
ISBN: 978-3-032-18797-0
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Abstract

This book meticulously analyzes Cruiskeen Lawn, a popular column published in The Irish Times by Irish writer Myles na gCopaleen (real name Brian O'Nolan, though also known as Flann O'Brien), from 1940 to 1966. Cruiskeen Lawn was a comic literary column devoted to offering a sharp and incisive portrait of mid-twentieth century Ireland. Conscious of the historical significance of twenty-six years’ worth of political commentary by a renowned intellectual figure such as O’Nolan, this book examines the total of 4,032 newspaper articles that compose Cruiskeen Lawn with a twofold aim: firstly, to understand Myles na gCopaleen’s Cruiskeen Lawn as a work of political commentary and to view the column as a historical account of mid-twentieth century Ireland; and secondly, to determine O’Nolan’s own political philosophy through a close reading of his opinions on the political events discussed throughout the book.