Katie O’Shea has long been vilified as the most hated woman in Ireland. Even her name was changed to vilify her – she was dubbed Kitty O’Shea, Kitty being a Victorian slang word for maid or prostitute. James Joyce called her ‘that bitch, that English whore’. Her crime was to have an affair with the leader of Ireland’s Home Rule movement, Charles Stewart Parnell. He was cited as co-respondent in her divorce case and his reputation was ruined. Parnell came closer than any other leader to securing Irish independence – and she was blamed for his failure. A new biography of Kitty O’Shea, ‘Ireland’s Misfortune’ argues that she’s been entirely misrepresented. Jenni is joined by its author Elisabeth Kehoe.
‘Ireland’s Misfortune’ by Elisabeth Kehoe is published by Atlantic Books (1 May 2008) ISBN-10: 1843544865
