"Our thoughts are with her family and friends, in particular her sons Marcus and Carlo. The family has requested privacy at this time," a statement from Faber Books said.
Paying tribute to the author, Faber said Edna O’Brien was "one of the greatest writers of our age"
"She revolutionised Irish literature, capturing the lives of women and the complexities of the human condition in prose that was luminous and spare, and which had a profound influence on so many writers who followed her.
"A defiant and courageous spirit, Edna constantly strove to break new artistic ground, to write truthfully, from a place of deep feeling. The vitality of her prose was a mirror of her zest for life: she was the very best company, kind, generous, mischievous, brave.
"Edna was a dear friend to us all, and we will miss her dreadfully. It is Faber’s huge privilege to publish her, and her bold and brilliant body of work lives on."
It is with great sadness that Caroline Michel at PFD and Faber announce the death of beloved author Edna O’Brien. She died peacefully on Saturday 27 July after a long illness. Our thoughts are with her family and friends, in particular her sons Marcus and Carlo. The family has… pic.twitter.com/mU2z5BsZiC
— Faber Books (@FaberBooks) July 28, 2024
In a poignant statement, President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said: "It is with great sorrow that I have heard of the passing of a dear friend of Sabina’s and mine, Edna O’Brien.
"Enda O’Brien has been one of the outstanding writers of modern times, her work has been sought as model all around the world.
"Edna was a fearless teller of truths, a superb writer possessed of the moral courage to confront Irish society with realities long ignored and suppressed.
"Through that deeply insightful work, rich in humanity, Edna O’Brien was one of the first writers to provide a true voice to the experiences of women in Ireland in their different generations and played an important role in transforming the status of women across Irish society.
"While the beauty of her work was immediately recognised abroad, it is important to remember the hostile reaction it provoked among those who wished for the lived experience of women to remain far from the world of Irish literature, with her books shamefully banned upon their early publication.
"Thankfully Edna O’Brien’s work is now recognised for the superb works of art which they are. As President of Ireland, I was delighted to present Edna with the Torc of the Saoi of Aosdána in 2015, and with a Presidential Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Her election as Saoi, chosen by her fellow artists, was the ultimate expression of the esteem in which her work is held.
"That work will continue to celebrate the full freedom that a writer must have, the risks and contradictions of circumstance, the release into beauty that imagination makes possible.
"May I express my deepest condolences to Edna’s children Carlo and Sasha, to her family and friends, to her follow members of Aosdána, and to all those who love her work across the world."
Statement by President Michael D. Higgins on the death of Edna O’Brien https://t.co/UUfpbBK75N pic.twitter.com/nqxIE2XGQF
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) July 28, 2024
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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