“Fifty Shades of Grey”-inspired sex festival takes place in Dublin

Ciaradexty--How is it that any man who disagrees with you or criticizes those innane books "can't do it." Your pity one man's missus, accuse another of sex with sheep (and what's wrong with that?. You would shrivel a man with your attitude. Go find one (if you can)who is turned on by your "liberation."

How stupid can they get, America of all places. Why not name buns and beer after every country they have invaded.

Hey Smartass--leave Cooleyman alone and don't insult the good people of louth.

Well well well, the women are having right laugh at ye all, and not just Ireland, it's selling well in Britain and America so leave out the slanging match about Ireland. To the prude's...get a life and the men seem to be running scared of it. No wonder it has become a best seller world wide, the women know it is getting up your nose.

Cooleyman, if you dont like sex, dont have it! I doubt you have any willing participants anyway except some sheep in the Cooleys.

Erotic books like this have been selling well in Ireland since the early 1970s when the "Emmanuelle" series, "The Story of O", and works by Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin went on sale after censorship was abolished in the 1960s. The trend continued when Irish American author Anne Rice sold very well when she wrote her BDSM "Beauty" trilogy under the pen name A. N. Roquelaure, and "Exit to Eden" under the name Anne Rampling. This latest surge in sales is just the latest wave in a well established history of interest in erotica in Ireland.

TayandCake, you're a living saint, anyone ever tell you that?

This is either a pi**take or a serious low point in Ireland's association with literature. Poor old Maeve Binchy is probably looking on from her writing desk in the clouds with disappointment and despair at this.... although it is probably just a bunch of chancers capitalizing on a fad that hopefully will soon be at the bottom of the bargain bin along with those Dan Brown classics......

Lookit! Hole-y Ireland has been at this sort of thing for ages! Witness the overflowing childrens homes, convents and industrial schools with their constant intake of abused and to be even more abused, inmates who resulted mainly from illegal Socially and Religiously unacceptable sexual practices! Ireland has been well ahead with its own living version of this book. Now, at last,you know the meaning of: " The Forty Shades of Green "!

I think it's cool that so many are reading this genre of literature, and how progressive the thinking and feelings toward the type of intimacies portrayed have become. Well met. I would though like to give a shout out to Jacqueline Carey, my favorite author, who helped pioneer in this genre of story telling in 2001 with her New York Times Best Selling publication of Kushiel's Dart, and subsequent Kushiel's Legacy and Naamah's Trilogy. Nine books in all and worth ever second of your time. Have a great Sex Fest, then go pick up Kushiel's Dart, you won't be disappointed.

I'll be dressed as the gimp and dishing out whippings and arse sex if anyone needs it

Dear American IC posters, this has NOTHING to do with you! Why do you all feel the need to comment on matters related to sex in |Ireland? You are American! We have sex in Ireland. We dont have to be or want to be married. Some people are into BDSM, thats none of your business either. If you all want to lie on your back and think of a country youre not from then more power to you but do not tell us how we should be having sex.

StR, Maeve Binchey only died a few days ago. This festival was publicised months ago you idiot. Perversion? Id say youre a crap lay. Your poor missus.

Not that I'd wish her gone, but it's probably just as well dear Maeve Binchey is not around to see the depths to which Irish literary tastes have sunk ... not to mention Yeats and others. Perversion is glorified ... now where have I read about that occurring?

There is love in the book. Don't judge it until you have read all THREE.. Then all the questions are answered.