Sebastian Barry is one of the most prominent Irish writers of our times, renowned for his lyrical prose and poignant storytelling. However, his deep connection to Ireland goes beyond his literary works. In fact, his mother, Joan O’Hara, played an instrumental role in shaping his worldview and artistic sensibility. In this article, we explore her Sligo upbringing, as described by Barry himself as “like tar on her shoes”. Through this lens, we gain a new perspective on the cultural heritage that has influenced the writer’s life and work.
Sebastian Barry is a literary giant in Ireland, with a personality as large as his literary output. Sebastian Barry: Family Stories, a documentary aired on RTÉ One, explores the traumas passed down through generations that haunt him and all of Ireland. The documentary delves into the writer’s personal background and how it influenced his writing.
Barry grew up with a father who drank heavily and cheated on his mother Joan O’Hara, a well-known figure on TV’s Fair City and in the Abbey Theatre. Joan, “fettered” by her own issues, struggled to navigate her parenting role. Barry’s visits to O’Hara’s hometown in Sligo unearthed buried memories of the violence and emotional neglect that characterized her upbringing. Memories of his own childhood experiences and those of his mother seem to have a lasting impact on his writing, which is marked by powerful, often tragic, themes.
The documentary also traces Barry’s formative years, highlighting his struggles with undiagnosed depression while attending Trinity College Dublin. The film also explores his early romance with his wife, Alison Deegan, which could have been taken straight out of a Smiths song.
The success of his play The Steward of Christendom is also highlighted as a significant turning point in his life and career. However, while the documentary features interviews with family members, friends, and colleagues, it fails to foreground his literary achievements, including numerous literary awards and two Booker Prize nominations for The Secret Scripture and A Long Long Way.
The documentary is also silent about his experience with the failed 2017 Hollywood adaptation of The Secret Scripture, directed by Jim Sheridan and featuring Rooney Mara, Vanessa Redgrave, and Eric Bana. Despite its critical and commercial failure, the adaptation is an interesting and noteworthy incident in Barry’s career and could have added depth to the documentary had it been discussed.
Despite these limitations, Family Stories effectively sheds light on Sebastian Barry’s life beyond his writing. It highlights his experience as a husband and father, the values that guide his writing, and his openness and warmth towards life’s experiences.
Barry’s advocacy for marriage equality is another compelling feature of the documentary. When his son, Theo, came out at the age of 17, Barry wrote a letter to The Irish Times in support of the marriage referendum. Barry’s writing, beyond reflecting his own experiences, is marked by social and political awareness, making him an important voice in Ireland’s literary landscape.
For those who know Sebastian Barry’s work, the documentary provides a powerful insight into what drives him as a writer. For new audiences, it is an intriguing introduction to a great writer and provides rich context for his novels’ themes and messages.
Finally, the film’s dedicated and personal portrayal of Sebastian Barry successfully humanizes an often-stoic writer. Through Family Stories, we see Barry as a loving husband, devoted father, and complex human being, making it an excellent documentary about a gifted artist who is larger than life.
Sebastian Barry’s retelling of his mother Joan O’Hara’s Sligo upbringing paints a vivid picture of the tough conditions of rural Ireland in the mid-twentieth century. From the harsh living conditions to the challenges of making a living, O’Hara’s story is one of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. Despite the challenges she faced, O’Hara’s upbringing in Sligo played an important role in shaping her life and the lives of those around her. As Sebastian Barry writes, “It was like tar on her shoes,” a reminder of the difficult journey that shaped O’Hara’s character and inspired the works of her son. Through his writing, Barry honors his mother’s legacy while shedding light on the realities of life in rural Ireland, a testament to the power of memory and storytelling.
