By the Bog of Cats by Marina Carr
A ‘black comedy’ full of death, ghosts, superstition, murder – I didn’t find this play at all funny but grim,
bleak and strange. I didn’t find the intended humour funny but rather sad and warped. Why would it be
chosen for leaving certificate students to study? This play is oppressive and pulls you down. It contains
for example, a witch called “Catwoman” who eats mice, a character, Hester, who sees and talks to
ghosts and who murdered her brother and kills both herself and her own daughter and a foul- mouthed
Mrs Kilbride. Again, I feel there is a need for more positive literature to be studied. Young people are
reading less and less but if given the chance to study works which are truly humorous and informative,
edifying and exciting -not a play like By the bog of Cats- surely they would be encouraged to read more ??
I do not consider By the Bog of Cats suitable to be studied by students at second level. Also, I wonder what
members of the travelling community feel about this book and the way they are portrayed – do they find it
offensive?
Reviewed by Helen, Co. Louth