The Dregs of the Day

By Máirtín Ó Cadhain

A riveting English translation the Irish classic tale of heartache, death, and loneliness by the beloved author of The Dirty Dust

"Unique, funny and bursting with earthy language."--Kevin Gildea, Irish Times

The final published work by the renowned M irt n Cadhain, this novella follows a widower as he attempts to plan his wife's funeral arrangements without money, direction, or whiskey. Thrown into a desert of unknowing, he knows not where to turn or what to do. In a poignant meditation on regret, possibilities, maybes, and avoidances, the author portrays a man hopelessly watching as the people in the world go about their lives around him. With black humor sprinkled throughout, the book, a profound look at psychic loss and puzzlement by a writer at the height of his powers, illustrates Cadhain's conviction that tragedy and comedy are inextricably connected.

Bringing this work to an English-speaking audience for the first time, this volume includes an illuminating introduction by Alan Titley, whose skillful translation captures the spirit and tone of the original.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300242778
• ISBN13: 9780300242775
• Release Date: September 2019
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.6"