Interview

‘Nobody would notice the publication of Ulysses if it was published tomorrow’ – John Banville

The novelist reflects on life and death, woke culture and ‘craft’ verses ‘art’ novels and wonders whether anyone will buy his new book. The Booker prize winner also also questions the emergence of the youth vote for Sinn Féin

John Banville: ‘One of the great forces in human life is the fear of boredom. We are so bored that we have to invent wars, pestilence, destroy the world.’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

Someone is sitting in John Banville’s seat. The renowned novelist, Booker winner, and Nobel prize hopeful (or unhopeful, more on this anon) has to settle for the table beside his usual spot, when we meet in Dunne & Crescenzi on South Frederick Street in Dublin, on a busy Friday afternoon. He’s been frequenting this upmarket Italian for years, and gets the odd nod from a member of staff, or regular, who seem to know him. ...