‘I loved The Bee Sting, but if it had been written by a woman it wouldn’t have sold as well’ – Novelist Sheila O’Flanagan

“When men write something with emotions it’s: Wow, how amazing are they?”

Novelist Sheila O Flanagan at her home in Clontarf. Photo: Frank McGrath

Sarah Caden

Recently, a reader told Sheila O’Flanagan that her husband of 50 years had died and how difficult it was. O’Flanagan marvelled at the idea of 50 years together. Then she was reminded that she and her husband are together 40 years, even though they married a mere decade ago.

“I think everything is 10 years ago,” says O’Flanagan. True enough, two of the stories she tells in the course of our conversation happened, she says, “about 10 years ago”, though on reflection both were longer ago.