Ireland’s first public space named after a female Irish writer has officially opened in Dublin.
The Mary Lavin Place, which is located at the Grand Canal between Leeson St and Baggot St bridges, was opened by author Colm Tóibín, who was a friend of the late writer.
Mary Lavin, who died in 1996 aged 83, was known for her short stories and was also a celebrated writer of novels and poems.
“I think it’s great to have a place, a square called after a writer. I think it’s great to have a square called after such a good writer, such an important writer,” Mr Tóibín said.
“We’ve got squares called after patriots, streets called after patriots streets called after people don’t know. Here is a woman who really stood out.
“Who among a group of men, great short story writers, she was the woman among them whose work seems to me now to be the most enduring from the generation of Irish writers.”
Kathleen MacMahon, granddaughter of Mary Lavin and fellow author, said that for her family, today is one to celebrate.
“Oh, we’re so proud of her. I mean, what she’s achieved now with Mary Lavin Place is something that most writers dream of, and that’s permanence and achieved through the quality of her work.
“The work is so good that even 30 years after her death, it’s growing in reputation, if anything. And now with this Mary Lavin Place in the middle of the city, right next to where she lived, she’s part of the city forever, people will walk past and wonder who she is in generations to come and hopefully read her books, which we couldn’t be happier.
“That she’s been chosen to have the first public space, awarded to any woman writer makes us so proud.
“But I think it’s an indication of what a country values and this country, this city has always valued literature, and she’s one of our great writers. So it’s absolutely fitting.”
Mary Lavin’s first collection, Tales from Bective Bridge, was published in 1942 and won the James Tait Black memorial prize.
Later works include ‘The Middle of the Fields’ and ‘A Family Likeness’.
She received a number of awards including a Guggenheim award, the Katherine Mansfield prize, the Ella Lynam Cabot award, the Éire Society medal, the Gregory medal and the American Irish Foundation Literary Award.
The area is the centrepiece of the surrounding Wilton Park which is also being reopened following restoration work.
The one-acre park will include new seating, lawns, paths, and planting alongside the original Victorian fountain.
Sitting on a quarter-acre site, it is a public space that is privately owned.
Alice Ryan, writer and granddaughter of Ms Lavin, said the new public square is “phenomenal”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ms Ryan said the family are “thrilled”.
“Not many people of my generation know her,” she said.
“They don’t know the name, they don’t know the work and yet every once in awhile I’ll meet someone who does know her work and they will light up,” she added.
Ms Lavin said her grandmother was a widow with three small children who achieved “unbelievable literary success”.
“I do think she brought themes to bare at a time where women were not represented,” she said.
“You got widowhood, you had love, you had people snubbed at the altar, family wills but you know all of from a female perspective something that really wasn’t done up until that point,” she added.
Ms Ryan said that those who are aware of the late writers’ work and “how good it is really cherish it”.
“It’s like we’re all in secret,” she said.
However, she added: “It’s sad to think it isn’t universal and hopefully this will do something to change that.”
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