Irish Examiner view: Celebrating Mary Lavin

From left: grandchildren and great-grandchildren of writer Mary Lavin; Tadhg Peavoy; Kevin MacMahon; Walter MacMahon; Meg MacMahon; Nickolas (3); Clara Hurley; Kathleen MacMahon; and Lucy Hurley at the announcement from IPUT Real Estate that writer Mary Lavin will have a new Dublin city square named in her honour at its Wilton Park development.  Picture: Naoise Culhane

News that writer Mary Lavin is to have a public space in Dublin named after her is reason to celebrate. The gifted short story writer and novelist left behind a body of work that deserves new readers.

Those who walk through Mary Lavin Square at Wilton Square in Dublin might be tempted to revisit Tales from Bective Bridge, or any of the other wonderful short story collections and novels she wrote in the middle of family life.

It is fitting, too, that the inauguration of the square comes on the 25th anniversary of her death.

The single issue that jars in this otherwise happy event is the astonishing fact that Mary Lavin is the first female writer to have a public space named after her.

Where are all the streets, roads, avenues, and parks named after Ireland’s countless female writers?

Mary Lavin Square is a very welcome step in the right direction. It’s timely too, as it comes during Women’s History Month, but it also underlines just how far we have to go to bring women into our streetscapes.