May O'Flaherty
May O'Flaherty | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary Angela Flaherty Template:Birth date Youghal, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | March 27, 1991 (aged 86) Dalkey, Ireland |
| Occupation | Bookseller |
| Known for | Owner of Parsons Bookshop, fostering Irish literary community |
May O'Flaherty (originally named Mary Angela Flaherty, born 14 May 1904 – died 27 March 1991) was a distinguished Irish bookseller, recognized for her ownership of Parsons Bookshop located at Baggot Street Bridge in Dublin’s southside. Through the shop’s writer-in-residence initiatives and welcoming environment, she fostered relationships with renowned Irish literary figures including Patrick Kavanagh, Brendan Behan, and Seamus Heaney.
Background
May was born in Youghal, County Cork, to Thomas Flaherty, a Royal Irish Constabulary sergeant hailing from County Kerry, and Catherine (née Drummy) O'Flaherty from Kilmichael, County Cork. The family moved to Dublin when her father received a new assignment. Before entering the book industry, she briefly worked at a furrier on Grafton Street.
Parsons Bookshop
In 1949, O'Flaherty acquired Parsons general store on Baggot Street Bridge, initially aiming only to affect its auction value. At first, books represented a small segment of the business but attracted local poet Patrick Kavanagh. Acting on his advice, Parsons formed a partnership with Oxford University Press, broadening its inventory of books. Kavanagh transitioned from customer to trusted confidant; subsequently, other notable authors such as Brendan Behan and Brian O'Nolan became regular visitors. The shop evolved into a gathering place for emerging writers like Hugh Leonard, Michael Hartnett, Peter Costello, and Adrian Kenny.
The artistic community surrounding Parsons earned the nickname "Baggotonia," gaining recognition as an important bohemian district within Dublin. After Kavanagh’s passing in 1967, O'Flaherty created a dedicated shrine to honor his literary contributions inside the shop.
Subsequent generations of writers supported by Parsons included Paul Durcan, Seamus Heaney, Brendan Kennelly, John Banville, Ben Kiely, and Maeve Binchy. The author Mary Lavin famously referred to Parsons as her "parlour."
In April 1989, O'Flaherty sold the leasehold for IR£156,000, an event that attracted media coverage. A plaque commemorating Kavanagh was installed in 2004 by the Monaghan Association at the former site of Parsons.
Later life and death
Following retirement, O'Flaherty lived in the suburb of Dun Laoghaire before relocating to a nursing facility in Dalkey, where she died on 27 March 1991. Her final resting place is Glasnevin Cemetery.