Published in 1965, The Dark is the second novel by Irish writer John McGahern.
The Dark is the story of Young Mahoney, growing up in Ireland's rural north-west, and follows the strained and complex relationship he has with his father, Mahoney. Because it explored the theme of child abuse, the book was banned by the Irish Censorship Board, and the controversy surrounding the book led to McGahern losing his job as a teacher.
“The Dark shines a light into an unsavoury Ireland that many would have preferred to keep hidden at all costs. Half a century later, it has lost none of its emotional charge or its power to shock. It is a classic example of the raw, realistic writing for which McGahern is rightly renowned.” – The Irish Times, 2015
Published by Faber & Faber,1965. Hardcover.
This is a second impression published in June 1965,