ThereisnodoubtthatDesmondHoganisoneofmostremarkableliterarytalentstohavecomeoutofIrelandinthepasthalf-century,andperhapsthebestintroductiontohisworkisthroughhismagnificentshortstories,widelyanthologizedandpraisedthroughouttheworld.Focusingasalwaysonthedowntroddenandtheeccentric,themisplacedandthedispossessed,Hogan’sstoriesmergepastwithpresent,landscapewithmindscape-distinctlyIrishandburdenedbyhistory,whileexhilaratinglyandwhollyuniversalandmodern.
