Carlene O’Connor

Carlene O'Connor (1946-2023) was an acclaimed Irish poet, playwright, and scholar. Born in Dublin, she studied English at Trinity College and later taught at University College, Dublin. O'Connor's poetry collection "The Galway Bucket" (1979) won the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. Her other works include "The High House" (1982), "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman" (1988), and "The Ghosts of Heaven" (2002). Her poems often explored themes of love, loss, and the complexities of female experience. O'Connor also wrote plays, including "Oul' Scenes" (1990), a wry comedy about Irish family life. Her scholarly work focused on Irish women's writing and the role of women in Irish society. O'Connor's work garnered critical praise for its incisive insights, evocative language, and feminist perspectives. In addition to the Rooney Prize, she received the O'Shaughnessy Award from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Her poetry and plays continue to be widely read and studied, leaving a lasting legacy in Irish literature.