James Joyce had a hell of a time getting Dubliners published anywhere, but it was most difficult in Ireland. Here is his response to a potential publishers objections to material in The Dubliners:
“It is not my fault that the odour of ashpits and old weeds and offal hangs round my stories. I seriously believe that you will retard the course of civilization in Ireland by preventing the Irish people from having one good look at themselves in my nicely polished looking-glass.”
