‘She had been born with a greater capacity for love and pleasure than most people; and her nature had very early on found itself at war with the primitive, property-ridden society in which she was reared.’ The story of Marie Fogerty, a young girl caught between two lovers, exposes the social and religious hypocrisy of an Irish town in the 1970s. Marie has grown dissatisfied with her affair with Fr Tom Moran, a loveless relationship condoned by her parents, observed by the town, and borne from mutual listlessness. However, the arrival of Brian Langley, a salesman from Galway, offers Marie glimpses of a new and passionate life. Brian’s suspicions about Marie’s past loves, and the dwindling health of Marie’s father threaten to tear apart a relationship that stands outside of a small town’s social norms. A meditation on love and possession, ‘An Apology for Roses’ remains as relevant today as it was when it first appeared in print.