The Diversification of Irish Literature: White Truth or White Lie?

This online essay surveys the recent breakthroughs which have occurred in Irish fiction with regard to the treatment of non-white characters and subject matter, most notably in the work of Oona Frawley, Roddy Doyle and Roisin O'Donnell. However, while the article reveals how some progress has been made - and explains how this coincides with the increased non-white population of Ireland itself - it also warns that, thus far, the examples are largely confined to small, indie publishing houses. As such, there is still a long way to go before such figurations can be deemed mainstream.