Krisztina Kodó: “Corkonians in a Multicultural Ireland”: An Interview with Lisa McInerney

Interview

DOI 10.51313/Freeside-2022-09

The theme of the interview is “Global English(es)”, which presupposes that English is no longer the exclusive terrain of the English people, as it has transcended its original role and has come to be used in several well-defined variants in all walks of life, including education, science, arts, and business. The international conference that took place on 28 and 29 March 2022 at Kodolányi University, Hungary explored this functional and thematic diversity in search of answers to the question of the role and function of English today.

My approach within the interview with prominent author, Lisa McInerney, focused on Irish identity, Irishness in a multicultural society, and Ireland and Irishness globally. Thus, the identity of the “Corkonians” globally.

Lisa McInerney discussed forms of heritage and its multicultural impact on modern Irish society; forms of identity in relation to the young generation of Irish being born into mixed marriages; and the notion of the “exile theme” and its relevance in contemporary Irish society, as presented through various characters within her novels.