Coming clean

Time to come clean (note deft tie-in to preceding post) about something. You may have noticed my use of a little blogging device, in the form of imagined interjections by the so-called "plain people of Ireland", providing a kind of meta-commentary on the ongoing blog content.

Irish readers will recognize immediately that this device is in no way original. It was used, to considerable comic effect, by one of the geniuses of Irish literature, Flann O' Brien. Flann O' Brien is one of the pseudonyms used by Brian O' Nolan, who also published, for many years, a daily column (An Cruiskeen Lawn; anglicization of the Gaelic for "the full jug") in the Irish Times, under the pseudonym Myles na gCopaleen.

From Wikipedia:

Flann O'Brien is rightly considered a major figure in twentieth century Irish literature. The British writer Anthony Burgess was moved to say of him: "If we don't cherish the work of Flann O'Brien we are stupid fools who don't deserve to have great men. Flann O'Brien is a very great man." Burgess included At Swim-Two-Birds on his list of 99 Great Novels.

The full Wikipedia entry is here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flann_O'Brien

My adoption of the device is intended in the spirit of pure homage to this most brilliant of Irish writers. If you have never read "The Third Policeman", order a copy right now, even before you finish reading this entry:

http://www.amazon.com/Third-Policeman-Byrne-Irish-Literature/dp/156478214X

It's the funniest description of hell you will ever read in your life. Borrow, steal, or buy a copy now!