Leavings, returns, and arrivals in contemporary Irish fiction.

‘Emigrants Leave Ireland’, engraving by Henry Doyle, from Mary Frances Cusack’s Illustrated History of Ireland, 1868

Leavings and returns occupy a large place within the Irish psyche, and by extension, creative works by Irish creators. As a country that has experienced an influx of people from foreign nations in its early history as well as waves of emigration, this is no surprise. To this day the Irish diaspora maintains a strong link to the country; the first American movie to be filmed on location abroad was Kalem’s The Lad from Old Ireland in 1910 and was a great success with Irish immigrants in America, leading to further productions such as The Colleen Bawn in 1911. As a result of this sense of movement, the concept of leaving and returning is ingrained within Irish culture and identity — it is considered normal for Irish people to move abroad to seek work and success (America and Australia seem to be especially popular). But it is possible to open up this subject beyond this simplistic view. What does it mean to leave? What does it mean to return? What are the boundaries that dictate what these even are? For the purpose of this essay, we will take a look at two texts: Foster by Claire Keegan, and The Green Road by Anne Enright. These texts take different approaches to the topic at hand, providing insight into various approaches to this most complex of concerns.