“Cearnach” was the pseudonym of F. W. O’Connell, a peculiar
Protestant divine, linguist and Irish language scholar, oddball essayist, and early
national broadcaster. His sole fiction collection showcases a wide scope: the conte
cruel, the ghost story, the locked-room mystery, and the science-fictional satire.
What unifies the stories is O’Connell’s playful, outward-looking perspective,
inspired by his love of the diverse cultures and languages of the world and his
home country in equal measure. A unique figure in Irish life, Cearnach’s character
is perhaps more present in these stories than the anxieties of the time in which
they were written. For this volume, Reggie Chamberlain-King provides an
extensive introduction examining O’Connell’s life and work
