Efacis "What I have found the most interesting about Mary O'Donnell's work and her visit is her exploration and connections between different short stories in the short story collection Empire. Short stories such as 'Empire', 'The Black Church' and 'The Unchosen' offfer a new view of the events of the Easter Rising 1916 in Ireland, and being able to access her opinions and ideas on the matter directly, enriched the experience of reading and learning about other countries' relevant historical events! It did not affect my perception of her work, but also of the evolution of historical events such as the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the subsequent Irish Civil War and later cultural production."
I found her visit really eye-opening! It was a wonderful experience!
Aida F. Rot
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"Mary O'Donnell's reading at the 9th International Seminar on Irish Studies in Granada was as enlightening as it was comforting. With eloquence and grace, she offered insights into the writing process of her collection of interconnected short stories, Empire (2018). O'Donnell descirbed some of the reasons behind her authorial choices, explaining her particular interest in stories of ordinary people who lived during interesting times - in this case, the 1916 Easter Rising. What was particularly interesting for me was to find out how authentic accounts and objects (such as a pencil drawing of a prison cell) inspired fictional yet lifelike stories. Finally, Mary O'Donnell's reading gave me the impulse to pick up the storyteller's pen myself, to give into what she called the urge to write."
Constantina-Ina Covaciu
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"I really enjoyed the literary reading by Mary O'Donnell at the University of Granada, and it was particularly captivating after having read her collection of short stories. Knowing he process that O'Donnell had followed to create and connect the different characters in these apparently separate stories was very fascinating. I also loved learning about the little glimpses of her personal life and upbringing that influenced her writing, because it makes the difficult events that she captures in these stories even more meaningful. Another aspect that I especially liked about O'Donnell's talk was the fact that she truly took into account the preferences of her audience when deciding which individual stories, topics or characters deserved more attention in the discussion. Listening to the author's insights made me want to re-read this short-story collection, and I am looking forward to reading more of Mary O'Donnell's works."
Mónica Delgado Burgos
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"Having the opportunity to meet Mary O'Donnell in person was incredible. Listening to Mary talk about the writing process of her novel Empire was so inspiring. Her reading and analysis of the various selected passages and chapters of the book was a wonderful way to dig even deeper into the complex weave-like network of characters an story that she so masterfully crafted. It is always an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to speak and ask questions face-to-face with the author of a book you have read - this honour is multiplied threefold with Mary, who is simply an amazing and kind person."
Fco José Carmona Granados
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"Being able to attend Mary O'Donnell's reading of Empire was a marvelous experience. She succeeded in engaging the audience while explaining everything we wanted to know about her writing techniques. In addition to that, the way she read and talked about highly sensitive topics such as colonial violence vwas very emotional and inspiring."
Rocío Santiago Cardona
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"Listening to Mary O'Donnell's talk about Empire was truly inspiring. I was especially fascinated by how she connects minor characters across different stories, showing their perspectives and everyday lives during and after 1916. Her discussion of ordinary people and the effects of colonialism, along with the way she drew inspiration from real details such as a pencil drawing in a prison cell, helped me connect with the narrative on a deeper level. Being able to hear her insights directly added a new dimension to my understanding of her work and of Irish history during this period."
Candela Alonso Pereira
