Though the short story is often regarded as central to the Irish canon, this is the first comprehensive study of the genre for many years. Heather Ingman traces the development of the modern
short story in Ireland from its beginnings in the nineteenth century to the present day. Her study analyses the material circumstances surrounding publication, examining the role of magazines
and editors in shaping the form. Ingman incorporates the most recent critical thinking on the short story, traces international connections, and gives a central part to Irish women's short
stories. Each chapter concludes with a detailed analysis of key stories from the period discussed, featuring Joyce, Edna O'Brien and John McGahern, among others. With its comprehensive
bibliography and biographies of authors, this volume will be a key work of reference for scholars and students both of Irish fiction and of the modern short story as a genre.
