Read Ireland Book Review
Issue 141
The Most Beautiful Villages of Ireland by Christopher Fitz-Simon (Hardback; 24.95 IEP / 28.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
The most beautiful villages of Ireland are stunningly portrayed here in the author's sensitive commentaries and Hugh Palmer's remarkable photographs. Following the divisions of the four ancient provinces of Ireland, this book is a journey full of rural gems, some famous, others less so. Here are the coloured coastal villages of Cork, their vibrant houses sloping down to a sea which so many of their inhabitants crossed to found other communities in the United States; here are the stunning medieval churches of Roscommon and Galway; here, too, are the villages of Antrim, standing ruggedly in defiance of the northern sea. Complete with a practical guide to the most important markets, hotels, restaurants and historic sites of Ireland, this book is an unparalleled portrayal of the pastoral beauty of one of the most attractive countries in Europe. Contains 258 colour illustrations.
Orange Parades: The Politics of Ritual, Tradition and Control by Dominic Bryan (Paperback; 21.50 IEP / 25.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book is the first major study to single out the Orange Order for close scrutiny. The author explains why Orange parades are such a prominent feature of ethnic politics in Northern Ireland. He examines the structure and politics of the Orange Order, the development of loyalist bands, the role of social class in Unionist politics, and the anthropology of ritual itself. He takes as a starting point the controversy over the Drumcree Church parade in Portadown, and asks how a march of about 800 men can assume such importance. He then relates the current dispute over the right to march to the structure and historical development of Orangeism in Northern Ireland, and looks at the changing ways in which the parade rituals have been exploited or co-opted by specific groups and politicians at different periods. Particular attention is paid to the importance of the parades in the development of a Protestant ethnic identity in a community divided by both denomination and class. He concludes that parades are complex events which draw together diverse Protestant groups with equally diverse political and economic interests. This book is a fascinating study.
The Hidden Famine: Hunger, Poverty and Sectarianism in Belfast by Christine Kinealy and Gerard Mac Atasney (Paperback; 20.50 IEP / 24.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This is the first book to examine in detail the repercussions of the Famine in Belfast. Many historians maintain that, because Belfast was a thriving industrial base with a largely Protestant population, the impact of the Great Hunger in the north was minimal. Drawing on a wealth of original research, the authors challenge this view. The begin with an examination of Belfast prior to 1845, especially the poorest classes within the town. They assess the official response to the crisis by the British government, the response by the Protestant Churches in England and Ireland, and the part played by the local administration in Ulster. They examine the impact on Belfast of the 1849-50 cholera epidemic, the town's recovery after the Famine, and the emergence of a new form of sectarianism among the business and landed classes.
Celtic Theology: Humanity, World and God in Early Irish Writings by Thomas O'Loughlin (Paperback; 22.00 IEP / 26.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book's aim is to draw out some features of the 'local theology' as seen in some of the most famous Celtic authors and texts of the first millennium. It examines the theological framework within which St. Patrick presented his experience and looks at how the Celtic lands of Ireland and Wales developed a distinctive view of sin, reconciliation and Christian law which they later exported to the rest of western Christianity. It looks at writers like Adomnan of Iona and at Muirchu, who reflected on the meaning of the conversion of his people two centuries earlier. It surveys how they approached liturgy, sacred time and the Last Things. While aimed primarily at those interested in Christianity in Celtic lands, this book also fills a long-standing gap in the history of early medieval theology in the west.
A Dublin Memoir by Vincent Flood (Paperback; 6.99 IEP / 8.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book is a short history of an ordinary 'five-eight' and his family, seen through the eyes of a child. Those joyful early years with grandparents and eccentric aunts, who in their own different way, contributed to making his childhood so wonderful. Those hungry war years, the pain of separation from his father, living conditions that were far from ideal. The unpleasant school days, where everyone suffered the same fate. A strong resilient mother, who in spite of the many ups and downs of life, managed to stay the Course, but only just. The scourge of T.B. that threatened, once again, to rob him of his birthright, that were all part of growing up in Dublin, during and after the last war.
The Golfer's Guide to Irleand by Dermot Gilleece (Paperback; 13.50 IEP / 15.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book is the most comprehensive guide to the golf courses of Ireland in existence. It includes easy-to-read summaries of 300 18-hole golf courses in Ireland complete with full directions on how to find them. It reviews over 80 golf courses by Ireland's leading golf correspondent. It includes and introduction to golfing highlights and places of interest in the 32 Irish counties, as well as comprehensive information on where to stay, eat and drink close to each golf course. There is also a recommended itinerary of golf courses to play in Ireland which is ideal for planning and organising the perfect golfing visit to Ireland.
The Green Flag: A History of Irish Nationalism by Robert Kee (Paperback; 13.60 IEP / 15.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
Ranging from the Protestant Plantations, through Wolfe Tone and the Great Famine, to the founding of the Fenian Movement and the Irish Free State, Robert Kee's definitive, authoritative and comprehensive history of Irish Nationalism is masterly in its detail and judicious analysis. A classic in its field, this is an essential work for anyone attempting to understand the complex historical forces that have shaped Ireland.
Different Kinds of Loving by Kathleen Sheehan O'Connor (Paperback; 9.99 IEP / 13.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This novel is an engrossing, compelling story of misplaced and obsessional love. The long planned marriage of Sarah, eldest daughter of the Dunne family, is an occasion of joy, but behind the celebrations Patsy, her youngest sister, hides a secret love and deep passion. The setting of the novel swings from the beautiful countryside of Ireland's south-east coast to the streets of London and the deserts of Kuwait. It is a story of human weakness, of pain and deception, or triumph over tragedy.
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