SOURCE: Kiely, Benedict. “Sean O'Faoláin: A Tiller of Ancient Soil.” In A Raid into Dark Corners and Other Essays, pp. 124-33. Cork, Ireland: Cork University Press, 1999.

In the following essay, Kiely presents an overview of O'Faoláin's writings, emphasizing the timeless nature of his observations on humanity.

Sean O'Faoláin's First Book appeared in 1932 when the author was the same age as the century. It was Midsummer Night Madness, a most notable collection of short stories, and it immediately placed the author among the Masters in Ireland, or in any country or age you care to think of, a position that he held and steadily fortified over the years, as you may readily see for yourself by consulting the fine three-volume edition of his collected short stories.

Forty-plus years ago when I was attempting, with great impertinence, to write about his short stories, I came up with...