The Country Girls

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Edna O'Brien - The Country Girls Trilogy

Drama: Classic & Period

The Country Girls Trilogy

Edna O'Brien's trilogy of novels about two girls growing up in 1950s rural Ireland.

Dramatisations of Edna O'Brien's trilogy of novels about the lives of two girls growing up in 1950s rural Ireland.

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Edna O'Brien - The Country Girls Trilogy: The Country Girls: 1. Coping

1. Coping

BBC Radio 4 - Edna O'Brien - The Country Girls Trilogy, The Country Girls, 1. Coping

Kate's father is off on a drinking binge so the farm must cope without him.

4 Extra Debut. Kate’s dad goes off on a drinking binge. Frank, funny tale of life in rural Ireland in the 1950s. Stars Charlie Murphy.

Kate and Baba are friends who occupy the twin poles of romance and realism. 

In this opening episode, Kate’s father is off on a drinking binge, so the farm has to cope without him.  

Originally published in the 1960s, The Country Girls, and the two other novels in the trilogy (The Lonely Girl and Girls in their Married Bliss), were banned by the Irish Censorship Board, burnt publicly in O’Brien’s home town, and described by the Justice Minister (a young Charles Haughey) as filth.  

Edna O’Brien's trilogy is now recognised as an iconic work of 20th century Irish fiction. 

Dramatised in ten parts by Lin Coghlan.   

Kate ..... Charlie Murphy
Baba ..... Aoibhinn McGinnity
Mama ..... Catherine Cusack 
Dada ..... David Ganly
Hickey ..... Lloyd Hutchinson
Jack Holland ..... Jonjo O’Neill
Miss Moriarty ..... Helen Clapp

Directors: Sally Avens & Jessica Dromgoole

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2019.

Edna O'Brien - The Country Girls Trilogy: The Country Girls

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

The first book in Edna O'Brien's trilogy about two girls growing up in 1950s rural Ireland

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Edna O'Brien - The Country Girls Trilogy

The Country Girls

1. Coping

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