The controversial novel
Paddy Maguire is Dead by Lee Dunne
is to be finally released in Ireland
on 18 May 2006--34 years after it was deemed too indecent and obscene for Irish readers. Originally published
in 1972 by Arrow in the UK, the book was banned on its release and never graced the bookshelves in
Ireland. Lee discussed his appeal with Mary Robinson, but this attempt to have the ban lifted was unsuccessful and
it is only now that the book is getting its first release in Ireland. After his appeal was rejected, Lee
held a demonstration on Grafton St and dared the Gardai to arrest him while he handed out 100 free copies
of the "banned book" to the public.
Speaking about the book finally being released in Ireland, Lee said: " In a way I contributed to
this happening when I called the then head of the Censorship Board, a rather nice man called Judge
Conroy, a cretin on national television.”
Amazingly, for a writer so prolific and so relevant it is
hard to find much of Dunne 's back catalogue on the shelves of your local bookshop! Perhaps it's
politics, for Dunne holds the honour of being the most banned author on this island. Seven of his
books, along with two films ('Paddy' and 'Wedding Night') were banned in Ireland:
Paddy Maguire is Dead (1972) was the first book by Lee to be banned and he was unable to get
a new book released in Ireland until the late 80s.
"At the time of the banning I had a book at number
one in paperback and a book at number one in hardback, which was unheard of. In fact, I don’t think
an Irish writer has achieved this since. But then Paddy was banned and my next six books also got hit
by the censors,” explained the 72-year-old author. “So for over 16 years I was unable to get a book
published in Ireland. It seemed like everything I wrote was getting banned. Even a Hollywood movie I
did with Milo O’Shea called "Paddy" was banned. It ruined my career.”
Paddy Maguire is Dead is the continuation of Lee Dunne's bestselling novel Goodbye to the Hill. It
is a semi-autobiographical novel about a Dublin writer's descent
into alcoholism and has been described
by the renowned author, John Broderick, as "the most detailed and horrifying exposé of alcoholism ever
written in this country. I have a defence of the book, banned in 1972, from Hibernia Magazine. The
defence of the book is by John Broderick, one of Ireland's best ever novelists and he castigates
the Censorship Board with real gusto, insisting that a book as important as Paddy with its insight
into alcoholism should never have been banned, insisting that if the board members did not know
what alcoholism was they should not have judged the book and that if they did know they ought to
be ashamed for depriving the Irish public of it in a country where almost every family suffers
one way or another from the dreaded disease that is not called The Family Disease for nothing.”
This “defence of the book” by John Broderick is now used as the introduction to the new edition of
Paddy Maguire; while the book is now dedicated to the late John Broderick.
“After John wrote his powerful article for Hibernia, I rang him up to say thanks and we became the
best of mates. Amazingly, three months before this new edition was to be printed, my publisher found a
copy of the Hibernia article inside an old book of mine while browsing in Greene’s Bookstore in Dublin. It felt like
destiny and I had to honour the man by dedicating this book to him--he championed it and demanded
its releases in Ireland. He finally got his wish--34 years later,” added Lee.
Paddy Maguire is Dead is published by Killynon House Books, price €11.99. and is being launched
at Writers Museum, Dublin, Ireland on Friday May 26 at 6.30pm.
Read Lee Dunne's Exclusive interview
