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QUIZ: Which scandalous Irish writer are you?
After all, no man (or woman) is rich enough to buy back their past.
WHILE WE STILL clearly appreciate the incredible talent of our modern writers (they’re featured throughout our bestseller list), sometimes during our day-to-day, we forget about the ones who created their foundations. The ones like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Edna O’Brien.
These are the same writers who have been part of the draw for the millions of tourists who have flocked to our literary-enriched island. Many of them produced books which a few decades ago, we wouldn’t have even been allowed to read – due to the strict censorship laws at the time.
For example, Edna O’Brien’s Country Girls (1960) was banned for sexually explicit content and burned by a local parish priest, while James Joyce’s letters to his future wife were extremely NSFW, even by today’s uncensored standards.
But now, thankfully in 2019, we can appreciate their work in all of its ‘scandalous’ glory. So which scandalous writer would you be?
Take our quiz to find out.
1. Pick a personal motto to live by.
Carpe diem
Smash the patriarchy
Be yourself, everyone else is taken
Eat the rich
2. Which of these cities would you most like to live in?
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Paris
Zurich
London
Dublin
3. Which of these would you be most likely to write your next book with?
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A fountain pen and notebooks
A laptop
A feather, quill and parchment
Whatever I can get my hands on
4. What's your biggest hate in society?
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Censorship
Homophobia
Poverty
Racism
5. Where do you feel most inspired to write?
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At the seaside
In busy cafés, listening to conversations
In my office or at work
In bed
6. Pick an Irish book that's in the charts at the minute to delve into.
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Overcoming: A Memoir by Vicky Phelan
Schmidt Happens by Ross O'Carroll Kelly
Once, Twice, Three Times An Aisling by Sarah Breen and Emer McLysaght
Normal People by Sally Rooney
7. Pick a quote you most relate to.
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Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them so much
To learn one must be humble, but life is the great teacher
Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others
The vote means nothing to women, we should be armed
8. Pick somewhere to socialise with your other creative friends.
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A French restaurant
A busy bar in Dublin
At home with dinner and a few glasses of wine
At your local university or library
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You scored out of !
You are... James Joyce
Arguably the most famous of all Irish writers, Joyce created some of the most scandalous books and letters published in Ireland. He also came under fire for his drinking, marital status and love of brothels. Why not learn even more about Joyce at the Museum of Literature Ireland?
Wikimedia Commons
You scored out of !
You are... Oscar Wilde
One of our most beloved poets and playwrights, Wilde was known for his flamboyant dress and acerbic wit. He spent time in prison (and eventually died in exile). Why not learn even more about Wilde at the Museum of Literature Ireland?
You scored out of !
You are... Edna O'Brien
Known for breaking the silence on sexual and social issues in Ireland, O'Brien's books were banned and burned from the pulpit. This year, she even wrote about the girls of Boko Haram. Why not learn even more about O'Brien at the Museum of Literature Ireland?
Wikimedia Commons
You scored out of !
You are... Jonathan Swift
Regarded by some as the best satirist in the English language, Swift railed against the widespread poverty in Dublin with the suggestion that we should sell our kids as food to the rich. Why not learn even more about Swift at the Museum of Literature Ireland?
MoLI - Museum of Literature Ireland, a collaboration between UCD and the National Library of Ireland, will open its doors on September 21st. Inside, visitors can explore 10,000 square metres of exhibits. Find it at UCD Newman House at 86 St. Stephen’s Green. For more information, visit MoLI online.
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