O'Brien, Edna (1930–)
O'Brien, Edna (1930–)
Irish writer. Born Edna O'Brien in Tuamgraney, Co. Clare, Ireland, Dec 15, 1930; dau. of Michael O'Brien and Lena Cleary O'Brien; attended Convent of Mercy, Loughrea, Galway, and Pharmaceutical College of Ireland; m. Ernest Gebler (novelist), 1951 (div. 1964); children: Carlos and Sasha.
Published 1st novel, The Country Girls (1960) and its two sequels The Lonely Girl (1962) and Girls in Their Married Bliss (1964), giving voice to Irish female sexuality in her exploration of the emotional and erotic experiences of Caithleen Brady and her friend Baba (the books were banned in Ireland); wrote 5 plays for tv, as well as screenplays of some of her novels and short stories; also contributed to Kenneth Tynan's erotic revue Oh! Calcutta!; other books include Mother Ireland (1976), The House of Splendid Isolation (1994) and Down by the River (1996). Won Kingsley Amis Award (1962) and Yorkshire Post Award (1971).
See also Grace Eckley, Edna O'Brien (Bucknell U. Press, 1974); and Women in World History.