Though it was first published 70 years ago, Patrick Kavanagh's epic poem "The Great Hunger" is still relevant today. Kavanagh spoke about an Ireland dominated by bachelorhood, small farms tightly held, and a life-denying culture perpetuated by clericalism. Yet he did it with such subtlety and obscurity regarding these taboo topics that he, in the words of Desmond Swan, `flew under the radar of State authorities.' In this new book Swan looks at the culture of silence into which the book was published, and offers a critical interpretation of the poem. "Will appeal to students of literature and anyone interested in the historical and sociological factors responsible for cultural patterns in Ireland today."--Library Journal, May 15, 2014