Last published over four decades ago, Happiness is perhaps the most cherished of all the acclaimed collections by Mary Lavin who was not just one of Ireland's major writers, but ranked among the greatest short story writers of the twentieth century in the English language. From the title story, which echoes her own experience as a widow with three young daughters, the stories in this classic collection explore the relationships and intimate emotions of her characters that are from a vanished Ireland but still resonate with vivid brilliance