Kitty O'Shea: The most hated women in Irish history? [audio 7min]

Katie O'Shea has long been vilified as the most hated woman in Ireland. Even her name was changed to vilify her--she was dubbed Kitty O'Shea,"Kitty" being a Victorian slang word for maid or prostitute. James Joyce called her 'that bitch, that English whore'. Her crime was to have an affair with the leader of Ireland's Home Rule movement, Charles Stewart Parnell. He was cited as co-respondent in her divorce case and his reputation was ruined. Parnell came closer than any other leader to securing Irish independence--and she was blamed for his failure. A new biography of Kitty O'Shea, Ireland's Misfortune (Atlantic Books), argues that she's been entirely misrepresented. Presenter Jenni Murray is joined by its author, Elisabeth Kehoe.