Read Ireland Book News
Issue 94
Civil War in Connacht 1922-1923 by Nollaig O Gadhra (Paperback; 9.99 IEP / 14.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
In this book the author draws extensively on notes compiled by the late J.J. Waldron of Tuam and places them in a national context. He gives a breakdown of the IRA command structure in 1922, and documents the events which took an inhuman and barbarous turn that autumn when the Provisional Government began a policy of 'official executions' by granting Emergency Powers to a three-man Army Council of the new Free State Army; even before the Irish Free State itself came into being on 6 December 1922. Some 21 men had been executed by the end of the year. Hostilities, raids and round-ups continued in the west into the following year, and the policy of reprisal executions by the new state was extended to Athlone in January 1923. The final number of 'official executions' was 77. This book provides a fascinating account of the tragic and complex nature of the Civil War in the West of Ireland as well as some new historical insights into the national and local political situation and a specific review of the political aftermath in County Galway.
The Irish Heritage Cookbook by Margaret M. Johnson (Paperback; 12.99 IRP / 19.99 USD) [Add To Basket]
Always blessed with a wealth of fresh ingredients, modern Irish cooks are using those ingredients to create a sophisticated, contemporary style of cookery. Now you can sample the delicious dishes of Ireland in your own kitchen. Reflecting Ireland's food renaissance, this cookbook offers a bountiful harvest of both traditional recipes and recent innovations. With more than 200 recipes celebrating Ireland's natural abundance - fresh produce, succulent meats, handmade cheeses, and fresh caught fish - you can prepare a true Irish feast. This book invites you to enjoy the magic of Irish cooking with dishes sure to become favourites in your kitchen.
Dining in Dublin: The Ultimate Restaurant Menu Guide (Paperback; 3.99 IRP / 5.80 USD) [Add To Basket]
Having finally been recognised as one of the worlds finest cities in which to dine, Dublin has undergone a huge renaissance in terms of the development and variety of its restaurants and eateries. Dining in Dublin proves not only to be a gastronomic delight but an unforgettable assault on the senses. To complement the renowned quality of Dublin cuisine, diners also experience fine surroundings, an ambience to savour and excellent service. This guide will help residents and visitors alike to discover all the culinary expertise that exists in Dublin today.
Ireland: Its Myths and Legends by Kay Retzlaff (Hardback; 16.50 IRP / 24.50) [Add To Basket]
The stories of the ancient Irish tell the tale of a vibrant and unique society, populated by courageous heroes, bold heroines, powerful goddesses, and perfect yet vulnerable kings. The epic tales and tragedies of this fascinating culture have left an indelible imprint on the Irish people, inspiring a resurgence of the Irish language, sparking the imaginations of revolutionaries, and fuelling the poetic fires of the great Irish writers. Some of the greatest tragedies in Western literature trace their roots to Irish mythology, from King Arthur to King Lear. The great Irish stories are about brave warriors and star-crossed lovers, betrayal and duty, rights and responsibilities. The heroes and villains of these myths are boastful, bawdy, and - bound by duty and taboo - often tragic. These multi-dimensional characters, so different from those of ancient Greece and Rome, continue to resonate in modern Irish literature. The epic stories of ancient Ireland come to life in this book. The author presents stories from each of the four cycles of ancient Ireland, detailing the legends of such valiant Irish heroes as CuChulainn and Finn mac Cumhail, and such self-assured heroines as Derdriu and Grainne. This splendid introduction to one of the most fascinating mythologies the world has known is sure to be a favourite source of both entertainment and enlightenment for the entire family.
The Keeper by Gareth O'Callaghan (Paperback; 6.99 IRP / 11.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
A fast-paced new thriller from the author of Dare to Die, this novel is set in West Cork where three teenagers steal a car and find their joyride goes horribly wrong. In Frankfurt an elderly man sets out on a significant journey. And in Dublin, a young woman prepares to search for a long-dead man - who has just written her a letter … and Jack Buckley, ex-detective police sergeant of Sheep's Head on the lonely Durrus peninsula - next stop America! - buys a bottle of vodka and goes on a binge. Waking up beside the drowned body of his best friend, Jack finds himself in nightmare territory. He is about the become the catalyst of events whose roots reach across Europe and into the past … This book is a real page-turner.
The Best of John B. Keane: Collected Humorous Writings (Paperback; 9.99 IRP / 15.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
John B. Keane is know nationally and internationally as one of Ireland's most popular writers. Now harvested into a single column are the hundreds of short humorous pieces which represent the distillation of the experience of funny, witty, wise and passionate observer of the bright tapestry of Irish life. Keane's topics naturally include his lifetime love affair with his native county of Kerry. Yet even the Kingdom must give way to his fealty to his remarkable home town of Listowel. All human life is there, and he tells its story in a remarkable procession of remarkable characters and in rare humorous glimpses of his own career. There are mouth-watering disquisitions on food and paeans to drink, since Kerry people do not live by bread alone, there is much about their two other preoccupations - love and words.
Brief Encounters: Meetings with Remarkable People by Bill Long (Paperback; 7.99 IRP / 11.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book is an extraordinary memoir of the author's serendipitous meetings with a host of kindred spirits, including some of the most famous writers of our time. In this collection of superbly written essays, he recounts how he crossed paths with T.H. White as a child, swapped childhood memories of Waterford with Raymond Chandler in 1960s London, shared a Kentucky Christmas with Cistercian monk Thomas Merton, drank with Nobel author John Steinbeck in his Long Island shack, and chanced upon Katherine Anne Porter in a midnight New York City snowstorm. Written with rich humour and unabashed affection for those he briefly befriended, the author describes the uncanny connections between these chance meetings, amounting to a richly entertaining and personal 'portrait gallery' of these remarkable people and their lives.
Irish Wake Amusements by Seán ó Súilleabháin (Paperback; 8.99 IRP / 12.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
First published in Irish in 1961 and in English in 1967, this classic work has never been superseded as a treatment of the fascinating subject of wakes in Ireland. As well as eating, drinking, smoking a pipe and taking snuff, many other forms of entertainment were common in Irish wakes, to pass the long hours of the night of two nights of the wake. These included storytelling, singing, dancing, music, card-playing, riddling and rhyming, and feats of agility and strength both inside the wake-house and in an adjourning field before the funeral started next day. The author also shows that Ireland, far from being different from other countries, was part of the general European (and world) pattern in holding prolonged and merry wakes.
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