Banned books from Ireland’s room of ‘evil literature’ finally see the light of day
Summary
Ireland plans to move about 12,000 books once held in a restricted room at the Department of Justice to the National Archives. The move is part of the repeal of the country’s censorship laws, and records explaining the bans are set to become public for the first time.Key Facts
- The collection includes books banned by Ireland’s Censorship of Publications Board.
- The records span 1926 to 1996 and include the board’s notes, minutes and ledgers.
- The board banned works it considered indecent or obscene, including books that referred to contraception, family planning or violence.
- Censors also objected to suggestive imagery, including the cover of Edna O’Brien’s 1960 novel The Country Girls.
- Banned titles included Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Brendan Behan’s Borstal Boy and D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
- The collection contains pulp fiction, literary works and academic texts.
- Ireland established the Committee of Evil Literature in 1926, soon after independence.
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