Episode 1

Kate’s father is off on a drinking binge, so the farm has to cope without him.

Edna O’Brien’s frank, funny story of growing up in rural Ireland in the 1950s.

Kate and Baba – one romantic, the other down to earth - have nonetheless been friends forever, united by their tough resilience.

Originally published in the 1960s, Edna O’Brien's trilogy - including The Country Girls - was banned by the Irish Censorship Board. It's now recognised as an iconic work of 20th century Irish fiction.

Omnibus of the first five of ten parts dramatised by Lin Coghlan.

Kate ..... Charlie Murphy
Baba ..... Aoibhinn McGinnity
Mama ..... Catherine Cusack
Dada ..... David Ganly
Hickey ..... Lloyd Hutchinson
Jack Holland ..... Jonjo O’Neill
Miss Moriarty ..... Helen Clapp

Directors: Sally Avens & Jessica Dromgoole

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2019.