Lovers by Pádraig Standún
Translated by the author
Fr. Tom Connor is parish priest in Kilcronan serving both mainland and an island. He was sent there from a secondary boarding
school after he criticised “these minor seminaries where priests keep lay people out of work and baby-sit children of the rich”. English
was spoken on the mainland part of his parish and Irish on the island.
His housekeeper, Marion Warde, lived in the parochial house with him. He was living a lie as far as his private life was concerned - a
married man at home and a celibate priest in the eyes of his parishoners. He did not agree with compulsory celibacy - his view was that
if enough priests lived with women the Church could not sack them off.
Fr. Connor arrived back from Dublin where he had been lobbying the government to provide work for the islanders he represented to
be told by his housekeeper that she is pregnant with his child. Being of strong conscience he decided to tell his parishoners despite the
Bishop berating him for the public scandal he brought on the priesthood. The resolution of his dilemma makes for dramatic and
heartbreaking reading.
Lovers is the author’s own translation of “Súil le Breith”, the classic Irish language bestseller first published in 1983. Bob Quinn’s
award-winning film, “Budawanny” is based on this novel.
Ted Finn,
Clare County Library.
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