Irish Lit: identifying a short story

May 26, 2020 9:54 AM

In about 2004 I took an Irish Lit class. We read a short story about two women, who go one to become lovers, who meet when one of them helps the other wade across a river.

Other things I remember:
- the women were isolated from the world; in the countryside
- I remember at the time being astounded because it was the first story I had read about being gay that wasn’t about coming out or the difficulties of being gay
- I believe we read another story by the same author where a husband overhears the wife he is separating from having sex with another woman and realizing it is “real sex”

Anyone know what this was?

posted by CMcG to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

Could the author be Emma Donoghue ?
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:12 AM on May 26, 2020

That happens In Nuala O'Faoloin's book Are You Somebody. I suspect you read an excerpt of that.
posted by fshgrl at 10:16 AM on May 26, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Could the author be Mary Dorcey? The second story you describe sounds like it could be her story "The Husband". (disclaimer: I have not read it.)
posted by eirin at 10:55 AM on May 26, 2020

Response by poster: It's Mary Dorecy - A Noise from the Woodshed (that's the name of the whole collection). I'm so happy! Thank you!
posted by CMcG at 11:57 AM on May 26, 2020

Thank you for asking the question -- this one is going to the top of my reading list.
posted by virago at 10:44 PM on May 26, 2020 [1 favorite]