Read Ireland Book Review
Issue 222
Reflections on the Irish State by Garrett FitzGerald
Hardback; 32.50 Euro / 37.50 USD / 25.00 UK; Irish Academic Press, 202 pages [Add To Basket]
In this book, the former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland uses his vast experience as an economist, analyst and politician to reflect on the main issues of Irish public life from independence eighty years ago to the end of the Celtic Tiger and beyond. Drawing as well on new academic work on politics, economics and demography to provide a comprehensive portrait of the state of Ireland today, he provides fascinating insights and challenging theories into recent history as well as innovative prescriptions for the future. He ranges over all the main topics of public and political life in Ireland, from the economic consequences of Ireland's unique demographics to the social effects of the Catholic Church's loss of influence; from the long-term effects of wartime neutrality on Anglo-Irish relations to the recent re-definition of Irish nationalism; from the rationale for Irish independence to the problems created by the electoral and party systems; and from the benefits of the education system to the successes of the European Union in changing a continent beset by wars to one of peaceful progress. Overall, his humanity, wit and perception shine through and have come together here to produce a highly readable classic that will entertain as well as inform and inspire anyone interested in the state of Ireland.
The National Library of Ireland: One Hundred and Twenty Five Years edited by Colette O'Flaherty and Katherine McSharry
Large Format Paperback; 20.00 Euro / 23.50 USD / 15.00 UK; National Library of Ireland, 100 pages, with full colour illustrations throughout [Add To Basket]
The National Library of Ireland, founded in 1877, now holds some six million items. Collections of books, serials, newspapers, manuscripts, maps, photographs, official publications, prints, drawings, political memorabilia and ephemera offer an invaluable representation of Irish history and heritage. In this celebratory volume, particular events or acquisitions in each of the library's first 125 years are illustrated by items selected by staff from the Library's Collections.
Roly's Bistro: The Restaurant and Its Food by Colin O'Daly and Paul Cartwright
Trade Paperback with Endflaps; 16.99 Euro / 21.50 USD / 11.50 UK; Gill & Macmillan, 132 pages, with full colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]
Roly's Bistro opened in Dublin in November 1992 and quickly became one of the city's busiest and best-loved restaurants. Its reasonably-priced menu and wine list together with a casual, light-hearted atmosphere made it an instant hit with everybody from romantic couples to families, from business executives to local and visiting celebrities. Today, a team of 27 chefs serve freshly-cooked food to over 3000 people a week without compromising on quality and standards. Fresh bread is baked daily. In this book, the award-winning chef Colin O'Daly gives a flavour of the day-to-day workings of his busy bistro and its bakery, while Chef de Cuisine Paul Cartwright selects more than 60 recipes from the seasonal menus. These include long-standing favourites and signature dishes such as Prawn Bisque and Kerry Lamb Pie as well as popular breads and desserts. This book is a celebration of all that is special about Roly's: the food, the wines, the atmosphere and the people who make it what it is.
Real Food Real Fast by Domini Kemp
Large Format Paperback; 20.00 Euro / 23.50 USD / 15.00 UK; Merlin, 140 pages, with full colour illustrations throughout [Add To Basket]
After a hard day's work, are you tempted to heat up a ready-made meal or just ring a delivery company? Not any more … Cook and enjoy these original recipes by Domini Kemp, expert food writer, restaurateur and busy mum. Fed up with stodgy ready-made dinners, Domini devised over sixty foolproof, nutritious and delicious recipes, using easy to buy ingredients. This hassle-free cookbook is full of great ideas, short cuts and helpful hints that will put a smile on your face. From breakfast, brunch and hangovers to Sunday lunch, healthy suppers, canapes, party food and kids' dinners, this book is ideal for today's fast-paced lifestyle.
Panic at the Bank: How John Rusnack Lost AIB $691,000,000 by Siobhan Creaton and Conor O'Cleary
Paperback; 10.99 Euro / 15.00 USD / 7.50 UK; Gill & Macmillan, 180 pages, with two 8-page b/w photo inserts [Add To Basket]
It was Ireland's biggest banking scandal and the fourth-largest banking fraud in the world. John Rusnack, a 'lone wolf' currency trader in Allfirst, a regional bank owned by Allied Irish Bank, racked up losses of almost $700 million. This sort of thing was not supposed to happen in modern banking, and certainly not in a retail bank far from the world's financial centers. But it did. Written by two of Ireland's top financial journalists who covered the story from day one, this book tells the inside story of how trader John Rusnack did it. It traces, step-by-step, the management failures that allowed him to gamble away the bank's money while seemingly pulling in big profits. It also relates the human drama played out inside the bank, and how AIB's American acquisition, hailed as a model for foreign banks everywhere, was bedevilled by a clash of Irish and American cultures and a boardroom power struggle high above the Baltimore harbour front.
Milestones in Murder: Defining Moments in Ulster's Terror War by Hugh Jordan
Paperback; 15.00 Euro / 20.00 USD / 10.00 UK; Mainstream, 236 pages, with 8 page photo insert [Add To Basket]
Beginning with the death of legendary IRA figure Sean South of Garryowen on New Year's Day 1957, this book describes the background to what we have now come to call 'The Troubles' and paints vivid portraits of the major players whose actions sparked the violence that erupted on the streets of Belfast and Derry in the summer of 1969. Throughout the decades of bloodshed, paramilitary leaders on both sides of the political divide continued to search for more so-called legitimate targets. The book charts how more and more people were unwittingly drawn into the conflict, sometimes against their will, and reveals aspects of certain killings that have remained undisclosed until now. It examines the killings which marked new lows in the republican/loyalist terror war, from the bombing of pubs and clubs to the advent of 'human bomb' couriers, and revisits the horror story that was the infamous Shankill Butchers case. The book also covers the more recent murder of the author's colleague Martin O'Hagan, an act that sent shock waves through a battle-hardened media in Northern Ireland. O'Hagan was the first journalist in Ireland to lose his life at the hands of the paramilitaries and his death pushed the parameters of slaughter to new limits. The book is an extensive, revealing account of the sickening crimes that have been committed during the long-running conflict in Northern Ireland.
Flowers of the Fairest by Rosemary Conroy
Paperback; 15.00 Euro / 20.00 USD / 10.00 UK; Brandon, 214 pages [Add To Basket]
This book is a sparkling and moving account of the relationships between three girls who lie strapped to their beds on the veranda of a TB hospital in 1940s Ireland. Rich in pathos and humour, it is a story of survival and even triumph over the cruelty of their fate. All three are just seven years old, and ahead of them lie three years of sharing their thoughts, pitting their wits against each other, sometimes falling out and all the time dreaming of home, which seems as far away as heaven. The author memorably and movingly tells their story set in north Dublin against a backdrop of strict social and religious mores, wartime restrictions and fearsome medical practice.
I Sailed the Sky in a Silver Ship: Coming of Age in the Marble City by Theresa Lennon Blunt
Paperback; 15.00 Euro / 20.00 USD / 10.00 UK; Brandon, 254 pages [Add To Basket]
Myths and legends, ageless rivalries, ghosts from the past and spirits awakened, these are the playthings of a child's imagination in this beautifully written true story of one woman's coming of age in Kilkenny. Here, in the 1940s, children huddle breathlessly to glean from their elders tales of woes and whimsy, learning what they choose from mistakes made long ago. But as the years advance into the 1950s, young Theresa Lennon must put aside her childhood dreams in order to strive for peace in her tumultuous home life, and fight for her own independence while trying to hide the secrets of a family headed for destruction. In the midst of chaos comes solace, in the form of an old man who would help her find the truth.
Munster Hurling Legends by Eamonn Sweeney
Hardback; 20.00 Euro / 23.50 USD / 15.00 UK; Obrien Press, 157 pages, with black-and-white and colour photographs throughout [Add To Basket]
Hurling is the fastest field game in the world, a game that demands superb skill, lightning speed and split-second reactions. In Munster, hurling is a religion. For the players and the fans there is nothing to compare to the clash of the ash and the sweet moment of victory. In this book the author introduces the stars of Munster hurling, the games that thrilled the crowds, and the colourful stories and legends that have become part of hurling lore. From Clare to Cork, to Waterford and across to Limerick and Tipperary, Munster has bred some of the finest hurlers ever seen: Mick Mackey, Christy Ring, Tom Cheasty, John Doyle, Ray Cummins, Nicky English, and Brian Lohan, to name but a few. This book is a celebration of the sport, the players, the wins and losses and, of course, of Munster itself - the home of hurling.
Teach Me Irish by Dafydd Gareth Stephens
Software and Audio CD; 30.00 Euro / 40.00 USD / 20.00 UK; Sain Cyf. [Add To Basket]
Do you want to learn Irish but don't have the time or motivation for evening classes? Then this is the method for you! The whole method is based on a natural learning process - you practice simple grammar and vocabulary tasks several times until the software decides that you have learned the tasks well enough to proceed to the next level. In this way you'll move from the basics right up to intricate structures at your own pace in exactly the same way a child learns the language - seeing, hearing and responding over a length of time. Within 3 months, a typical user could acquire enough language skills to participate in conversation and read a variety of books. With this produce, you can acquire a vocabulary of over 3000 words - allowing you to participate fully in the rich oral and written traditions in Irish. (Computer System Requirements: Windows PC, Pentium Processor, minimum 100MHz, 16MB of RAM, 7MB of available hard disk space).
Working and Living in Ireland 5th edition by Eugenie Houston
Paperback; 21.95 Euro / 26.50 USD / 16.50 UK; Working & Living Press, 300 pages [Add To Basket]
If you are planning a move to Ireland - to work, study, emigrate, retire or set up in business - this is the book for you. Relocating to a new country is a life-changing decision - one of the biggest you'll take in your life. This book provides you with invaluable and up-to-date information on a whole host of issues. Use this guide to compare item-by-item your current circumstances with those in Ireland. The ideal navigational tool, this book looks at the practical, social and cultural considerations that need to be taken into account as your adjust to a new environment.
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