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Will Gregory on Flann O'Brien

Goldfrapp's Will Gregory chooses the comically brilliant Irish writer, Flann O'Brien. With Matthew Parris. From 2017.

Goldfrapp's Will Gregory is centre-stage at the Colston Hall in Bristol to tell Matthew Parris why he feels a kinship with Flann O'Brien.

The Irish writer's books 'At Swim-Two-Birds' and 'The Third Policeman' are now hailed as literary masterpieces, but only came to prominence after the author's death.

Carol Taaffe, who has written about Flann, helps make sense of the man who wrote under three pseudonyms - Brian O'Nolan, Flann O'Brien, and Myles na gCopaleen. They look more closely at the novels and newspaper column he wrote alongside his job in the Civil Service, whilst maintaining a steady presence in Dublin's pubs.

Will reads extracts he believes illustrate the brilliance with which O'Brien slips between realism and surrealism, and Carol sheds light on who said that 'At Swim-Two-Birds' "....was just the book to give your Sister if she's a loud dirty boozy girl."

Producer: Toby Field

First broadcast on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 in December 2017.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 2 Jan 2022 05:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Matthew Parris
Interviewed Guest Will Gregory
Interviewed Guest Carol Taaffe
Producer Toby Field

Broadcasts

  • Tue 5 Dec 2017 16:30
  • Fri 8 Dec 2017 23:00
  • Thu 30 Dec 2021 18:30
  • Fri 31 Dec 2021 00:30
  • New Year's Day 2022 07:30
  • New Year's Day 2022 17:30
  • Sun 2 Jan 2022 05:30

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