Deemed the “constant genius of Irish letters” by Sebastian Barry, Deirdre Madden is one of Ireland’s most decorated modern writers. Her work relies heavily on conversation and has been praised for her complex style that touch on the religious and political turmoil of Northern Ireland. Set in the Celtic Tiger, her latest offering Time Present and Time Past dealing with family life, photography and memory's relationship to time.
You are known as an unique Irish writer, but you also have extensive travelling experience in Europe. Has your expatriate life influenced your outlook and your writing?
Yes indeed. I was away from Ireland for quite some time, including three years in Italy and ten years in Paris. I think living abroad gives you a different perspective on many things, most particularly on your home country. I also developed a great interest in the visual arts when I was away. It was wonderful to be able to go to the Louvre frequently, and I learnt a lot just from looking at the paintings. Art and artists are the central themes of my novel 'Authenticity,' some of which is set in Italy and some in Dublin.
Speaking of your latest offering Time Present and Time Past, in your opinion, what is the social impact of the Celtic Tiger on today's Ireland?
The novel is set in that period when Ireland went through a real economic boom, although I see it more as the context of the novel rather than the subject. I wanted to place contemporary events in a much broader timeframe. The boom was followed by a crash, which had terrible consequences in Irish society. It has caused great hardship for many people, although things do seem to be starting to slowly recover.
What do history and memory mean to you? Are we destined to be influenced by our past? Or can we alter our memory to influence our current life?
The idea of memory and how we construct our past are enormously important subjects to me. Memory and time are two of the great subjects of literature: Proust is a writer I particularly love. Memory is closely related to imagination. I believe that our memories are much more fluid and much less accurate than we like to believe!
Where does the compassion that run through your work come from?
I'm glad people see that in the novels although I'm not aware of it when I'm writing. Maybe it's a question of trying to understand the characters in a very deep way, whatever their motivation or actions.
What's your favourite piece of Irish literature?
A very difficult question! I greatly admire the late John McGahern, for the example of his personal and artistic integrity.
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