Read Ireland Book Review
Issue 173
Gift and Travel Books
Landscapes of Ireland by Michael Diggin
Paperback; 7.99 IEP / 9.50 USD / 6.50 UK / 10.20 EURO; Gill & Macmillan, 128pages, full colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]This book contains a brand new collection of photographs from one of Ireland's most renowned photographers. Based in Tralee, Co. Kerry, Michael Diggin has an international reputation as a photographer of the Irish countryside and of its landscapes. This book concentrates on the natural beauties of Ireland rather than on the built environment. Page after page brings a succession of beautiful landscapes: of rolling countryside, steep cliffs, off-shore islands, the lush countryside of the Golden Vale and of the wonderful mountain ranges around the coast. The book covers the entire island of Ireland: there are photographs from every one of the 32 counties - all designed and laid out to illustrate the variety, splendour and beauty of the Irish landscape.
Heritage of Ireland by Peter Zoller
Paperback; 7.99 IEP / 9.50 USD / 6.50 UK / 10.20 EURO; Gill & Macmillan, 128pages, full colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]This book of photographs places the emphasis on the man-made Irish environment. It ranges from city views, showing the bustle of the city streets and the elegance of Georgian architecture, to a countryside littered with town houses, castles, fairy-rings, archaeological sites, battlefields and all the other marks left by human hand. Ireland has been inhabited for about 7000 years and this magnificent picture book captures the full surviving cross-section of human achievement in this small island.
Dingle in Pictures by Steve MacDonagh
Paperback; 8.99 IEP / 10.50 USD / 7.50 UK / 11.50 EURO; Brandon, 74 pages, full colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]The Dingle Peninsula was described in National Geographic Traveller as 'the most beautiful place on earth', and in David Lean's film 'Ryan's Daughter' it was perhaps the scenery of this south-western tip of Europe that impressed viewers the most. Bounded on three sides by the sea, it enjoys a slightly milder climate than its neighbouring mainland, causing many plants to flourish exceptionally well. The peninsula combines in its landscape the rugged coastal scenery of rocky outcrops and cliffs with the soft shapes of hills and mountains, skirted by green lowlands and long stretches of sandy beaches.
Munster's Mountains: 30 Walking, Scrambling and Climbing Routes by Denis Lynch
Paperback; 9.99 IEP / 12.00 USD / 8.50 UK / 12.70 EURO; Collins, 120 pages, b/w photos throughout [Add To Basket]The mountains of Munster stretch from Kerry to Waterford, through Limerick, Cork and Tipperary. For this guidebook, Denis Lynch explored gullies and ridges with a technical / semi-technical element, a level above hillwalking involving scrambling / rockclimbing. While including well-known routes, he largely describes alternatives, offering a sense of exploration and adventure. Supported by maps and photographs, this guidebook offers a range of options for a challenging day on the hills.
Companion Guide to Ireland by Brendan Lehane
Paperback; 17.00 IEP / 20.00 USD / 15.00 UK / 21.70 EURO; Collins Press, 519 pages, with 2 full-colour inserts [Add To Basket]Ireland confronts the seas about her with a dramatic diversity; the foam-sprayed cliffs of Clare, the bony, probing fingers of Kerry, the seaward tumble of the Mourne and Wicklow mountains, scatters of islands, deep fjords, the smothering dunes of Wexford, and thousands of miles of white or golden sands. Inner Ireland's appeal is quite as real: the dark pastel colours of the bog, haughty houses in pampered demenses, long thin villages with their spired churches, Georgian Dublin, solitary glories like the Rock of Cashel, or the ruins of the seven churches in the wild green mountain gash of Glendalough. The author vividly illuminates all these.
Discover Galway by Paul Walsh
Paperback; 9.99 IEP / 12.00 USD / 8.50 UK / 12.70 EURO; Obrien Press, 128 pages, b/w photos throughout [Add To Basket]Galway is a vibrant, exuberant city with a tangible charm and a fascinating history. Founded in the thirteenth century by the Anglo-Normans, it has witnessed rebellions, sieges, religious and sectarian conflicts, political intrigue and social upheaval. Today it is a thriving tourist centre, attracting visitors from all over the world. This book tells is rich story.
Discover Waterford by Eamonn McEneanry
Paperback; 9.99 IEP / 12.00 USD / 8.50 UK / 12.70 EURO; Obrien Press, 128 pages, b/w photos throughout [Add To Basket]Waterford is Ireland's oldest city, founded by Viking raiders in AD914. It has played a pivotal role in the economic, political and cultural life of the country, and its motto 'Urbs Intacta' (the untaken city) bears witness to the many power struggles and conflicts in which it has been embroiled through the centuries. Today, Waterford is a household name internationally through the fame of its hand-cut crystal. It is a lively, often underestimated city, which always manages to surprise the visitor.
Glorious Gardens of Ireland by Melanie Eclare
Paperback; 21.00 IEP / 25.00 USD / 16.99 UK / 26.70 EURO; Kyle Cathie, 160 large format pages, full colour throughout [Add To Basket]The culmination of a two-year project, this book is a celebration of the beauty and character of Irish gardens as well as about the people who create and maintain them. The award winning author has produced a sumptuous book. Every type of garden is here within, from the sublime to the innovative. All are caught by Eclare's keen eye and lyrical pen and described with such knowledgeable appreciation and care that it is easy to imagine that one is walking around the gardens with her.
Ireland: A Taveller's Handbook by James Brindley
Paperback with flaps; 14.99 IEP / 18.00 USD / 12.50 UK / 19.10 EURO; Appletree Press, 280 pages, with maps and colour photos [Add To Basket]This book is a highly-useful reference for anyone who wants to discover more about the country's cultural attractions and geographical and natural make-up. Ireland's physical landscape is introduced in the first chapter, while chapter two is a detailed guide to selected visitor attractions ranging from gardens and historic houses to museums and heritage centres, and is conveniently organised by county and accompanied by road directions. The subsequent chapters, which describe the island's animals, birds, trees, shrubs and wild flowers, are comprehensive and attractively illustrated.
The Sheela-na-Gigs of Ireland and Britain by Joanne McMahon and Jack Roberts
Paperback; 12.99 IEP / 15.50 USD / 10.50 UK / 16.70 EURO; Mercier Press, 192 pages, with b/w drawings throughout [Add To Basket]Sheela-na-Gigs are carvings of female images depicted as naked and posing in a manner which accentuates the most powerfully evocative symbol of the vulva. They were erected on many churches of the medieval period and were almost invariably placed in a very prominent position such as over the main entrance door or a window. In Ireland, where the practice continued into the later middle ages, they are found on castles and some other important structures. The sheela-na-gigs are primarily sacred religious symbols but some historians have been reluctant to take them seriously. They are generally referred to as protective talismans or good luck symbols, and more recently the suggestion that they were put on churches as 'warnings against sin and lust' has found favour. But tradition does not support this view and all references to them indicate that they were highly regarded, revered images that evidently held an exalted position within the religious iconography of the earlier church. This book has been produced in the hope that we may once again be able to look at, accept and fully appreciated sheela-na-gigs and thereby begin to feel respect for these once highly-esteemed aspects of Celtic heritage.
Cycling in the West of Ireland
Spiral Bound, 14.00 IEP / 18.00 USD / 10.00 UK / 18.80 EURO; Collins, 112 pages, with maps and full colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]This new guide features 25 cycle tours in the West of Ireland, covering as far north as Sligo and as far south as Limerick and all points in-between.
Cycling in the South East of Ireland
Spiral Bound, 14.00 IEP / 18.00 USD / 10.00 UK / 18.80 EURO; Collins, 112 pages, with maps and full colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]This new guide features 25 cycle tours in the West of Ireland, covering as far north as Dublin and as far south as Youghal, and as far west as Nenagh and Tipperary, and all points in-between.
Connemara: Rambler's Guide by Paddy Dillon
Paperback, 14.00 IEP / 18.00 USD / 10.00 UK / 18.80 EURO; Collins, 190 pages, with colour photos and maps throughout [Add To Basket]This book covers some of the most popular walking areas of Ireland, combining detailed route descriptions with information on the local history and wildlife. Dominated by the Twelve Bens and the Maum Turk mountain ranges and punctuated by Loughs and Atlantic coastline, Connemara is simultaneously barren and breathtaking.
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