Gatsby: Death of an Irishman - Patrick O'Sullivan Greene
We commemorate the 100th Anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby this week with Patrick O'Sullivan Greene, author of Gatsby: Death of an Irishman.
Patrick guides us through F. Scott Fitzgerald's troubled Midwest upbringing, his quest for status, his ambivalence towards his Irish heritage, the sociopolitical climate of early 20th-century America, and the careless Jazz Age excess portrayed in Gatsby.
Patrick peels back the intricate layers of Fitzgerald's character, revealing the underlying themes of identity and self-rejection in his work, his shifting views of Irish issues, and how his personal battles influenced his writing and contributed to his tragic life.
The episode also touches on Patrick’s own Irish heritage and his journey from business and finance to writing.
We end the conversation as The Great Gatsby ends, with the novel’s closing line, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Links:
Patrick O'Sullivan Greene
Gatsby: Death of an Irishman
Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 11; Total Episode Count: 114
00:00 - Introduction
01:28 - First Gatsby and Fitzgerald Encounters
04:40 - Patrick's Back Story
06:22 - The Business of History
09:30 - Collins vs. De Valera
12:59 - Fitzgerald and Ireland
18:04 - Great Gatsby as a Financial Failure
23:21 - Gatby's America: A Young Country
26:12 - New Ground in Fitzgerald Analysis
28:49 - Probing Fitzgerald's Alcoholism
33:40 - Fitzgerald's Evolving Catholic Irish Identity
37:45 - Fitzgerald's Rejection of his Irishness
43:41 - Upcoming Book Events
47:30 - John and Martin Recap
49:54 - Credits
Patrick O'Sullivan Greene
Author
Patrick O'Sullivan Greene is a qualified Chartered Accountant who has worked in business and finance for most of his career and is back in his native Killarney after living in Dublin, London, New York and France. He has written articles for the Irish Times, appeared on the David McWilliams Podcast, and has been interviewed on national and local media.
Patrick published his first book, Crowdfunding the Revolution: The First Dáil Loan and the Battle for Irish Independence, in 2020. Critically well-received, the book was reviewed by Paschal Donohoe, Irish Minister for Finance, in History Ireland:
“The quality of writing and the pace of storytelling ensure that this is not a niche or specialist work of history. This is a compelling read. I wish I had written it myself”.
Patrick was invited to make a courtesy visit to present the book to President Michael D. Higgins.
His second book, Revolution at the Waldorf: America and the Irish War of Independence, was launched in Ireland on 2nd December, and was released in the United States in September 2023.
Patrick’s third book, Gatsby – Death of an Irishman, was published in March 2025.
Patrick has written articles for the Irish Times, been interviewed for national media and has been a guest on leading history and economic podcasts. He has presented at the Dublin Book Festival, the American Irish Historical Society in New York, the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco, and at the national conference of the American Conference for Irish Studies.
Patrick has worked in business… Read More