The Rising of Bella Casey
Mary Morrissy
2013 • Brandon
This novel had a long, hard genesis. But there were times when I felt a little like O’Casey in dread of Bella’s decline. I wasn’t just witnessing the decline but actively subjecting her to all sorts of trials and tribulations. But apart from the attentions of the wicked Reverend Leeper, which is speculative on my part, all of Bella’s other misfortunes were true, so I had to stay true to them.
— Mary Morrissy
The Rising of Bella Casey
Mary Morrissy
2013 • Brandon
This novel had a long, hard genesis. But there were times when I felt a little like O’Casey in dread of Bella’s decline. I wasn’t just witnessing the decline but actively subjecting her to all sorts of trials and tribulations. But apart from the attentions of the wicked Reverend Leeper, which is speculative on my part, all of Bella’s other misfortunes were true, so I had to stay true to them.
— Mary Morrissy
Description
The Rising of Bella Casey is, like Mary Morrissy’s other two novels (Mother of Pearl,1995, and The Pretender, 2000) a work of historical fiction. It is the imagined story of Bella, the sister of writer Seán O’Casey. Morrissy has also written a number of short stories.
Excerpts
Interviews
Reviews
- Liz Kearney, The Irish Independent
- Alfred Hickling, The Guardian
- Sue Leonard, The Irish Examiner
- Christina Hunt Mahony, The Irish Times
- The Leaving Coat Blog
Audio
- BBC: Women's Hour - Mary Morrissy on Bella Casey
- RTÉ: Arena - Book Review of The Rising of Bella Casey
Video
- The Attic Sessions: In Conversation with Tanya Farrelly & Mary Morrissy
- Canal U: Mary Morrissy Interview
- librairie mollat: Mary Morrissy Les révolutions de Bella Casey
