'I hate Yeats...how has he become this emblem of literary Irishness?' (original) (raw)

With her debut about to hit the shelves in 13 countries, Sally Rooney is tipped to be the next big thing in Irish fiction. The 'natural introvert' who was a champion debater tells our reporter about the excitement and stresses of performing a public persona

Fish out of water: Sally Rooney was brought up in Castlebar, Co Mayo. Photo: Tony Gavin

Sally Rooney is apoplectic. She squirms in her seat, hands flapping in disgust, and doesn't mince her words.

"I hate Yeats!" she shrieks. "A lot of his poems are not very good but some are obviously okay. But how has he become this sort of emblem of literary Irishness when he was this horrible man? He was a huge fan of Mussolini, he was really into fascism, he believed deeply in the idea of a 'noble class' who are superior by birth to the plebs. And he was in the Senate.