Read Ireland Book Reviews
Issue 469
27/28 February 2010
Occasions of Sin: Sex and Society in Modern Ireland by Diarmaid Ferriter
Hardback; 32 Euro / 40 USD / 24 UK; 694 pages
Using a huge variety of sources, Occasions of Sin charts the Irish sexual experience over the course of the 20th century. In tackling the public and private worlds of Irish sex, this book is groundbreaking in its scope and ambition. In this book, Ferriter covers such subjects as abortion, pregnancy, celibacy, contraception, censorship, infanticide, homosexuality, prostitution, marriage, popular culture, social life and the various hidden Irelands associated with sexual abuse - all in the context of a conservative official morality backed by the Catholic Church and by legislation. The book energetically and originally engages with subjects omitted from the mainstream historical narrative. The breadth of this book and the richness of the source material uncovered make it definitive in its field and a most remarkable work of social history.
Weather Eye: The Final Years by Brendan McWilliams
Hardback; 15 Euro / 20 USD / 11 UK; 245 pages [Add To Basket]
Following the great response to The Book of Weather Eye in 2008, Anne McWilliams, wife of the late Brendan McWilliams, has compiled this further selection of his articles. Chosen from the columns written in the last year of his life, it is all the more touching for knowing that the unique voice of this gifted, gentle and hugely intelligent man was about to fall silent. This new collection is a worthy successor to The Book of Weather Eye. It will delight all who welcomed that collection, which prompted the following short letter to the Irish Times from Senator Feargal Quinn: 'Madam, What a joy to see the late Brendan McWilliams in his once accustomed spot in Monday's edition, and a delight to read his article on Madame Bovary. I look forward to buying The Book of Weather Eye this week.' 'If few popular writers succeed in carving such a niche for themselves that they become irreplaceable, then Brendan McWilliams was surely the exception. His daily Weather Eye column, which ran in The Irish Times for almost twenty years, conveyed eloquently the popular aspects of meteorology, climate, astronomy and the environment. Easy to digest and sprinkled lightly with literature, history, folklore and mischievous humour, it was often the first article to which readers turned each morning.' Stephen McWilliams, from the foreword to The Book of the Weather Eye. kely Radicals: Irish Post-Primary Teachers and the ASTI, 1909-2009 by John Cunningham
J.G. Farrell in His Own Words: Selected Letters and Diaries edited by Lavinia Graecen
Hardback; 39 Euro / 52 USD / 27 UK; 300 pages
The novelist J.G. Farrell – known to his friends as Jim – was drowned on August 11, 1979 when he was swept off rocks by a sudden storm while fishing in the West of Ireland. He was in his early forties. “Had he not sadly died so young,” remarked Salman Rushdie in 2008, “there is no question that he would today be one of the really major novelists of the English language. The three novels that he did leave are all in their different way extraordinary.”
The Siege of Krishnapur, the second of Farrell’s Empire Trilogy, won the Booker Prize in 1973, and it was selected as one of only six previous winners to compete in the 2008 international “Best of Booker” competition. The strength of American interest in Farrell’s books is underlined by the inclusion of all three Trilogy novels in the Classics imprint of the New York Review of Books.
Many of these selected letters are written to women whom Jim Farrell loved and whom he inadvertently hurt. His ambition to be a great writer in an age of minimal author’s earnings ruled out the expense of marriage and fatherhood, so self-sufficiency was his answer. Books Ireland has astutely portrayed him as “a mystery wrapped in an enigma, a man who wanted solitude and yet did not want it, wanted love but feared commitment, reached out again and again but, possibly through fear of rejection, was always the first to cut the cord.” But Farrell’s kindness, deft humor and gift for friendship reached across rejection, which must account for why so many such letters were kept.
Funny, teasing, anxious and ambitious, these previously unpublished letters to a wide range of friends give the reader a glimpse of this private man. Ranging from childhood to the day before his death, Farrell’s distinctive letters have the impact of autobiography.
Nuala Fennell: Political Woman – A Memoir
Large Paperback; 15 Euro / 20 USD / 11 UK; 210 pages [Add To Basket]
Nuala Fennel was a leading Irish economist and Fine Gael politician. She campaigned vigorously for women's rights through the 1970s. She became a Irish Minister of State in 1982. Political Woman tells the story of young middle-class mother of three, Nuala Fennell, who from her home in suburban south Dublin became part of a movement that changed Ireland's social and legislative landscape for ever. Nuala Fennell first became involved in the Women's Liberation Movement with women like June Levine and Mary Kenny, then helped to found AIM, the family support organisation, in 1972. AIM campaigned for women's rights in family law, until then a very low priority for successive governments, and achieved radical changes. Nuala Fennell was later involved in Women's Aid and in setting up the family mediation service when she served as a junior minister in Garret Fitzgerald's coalition government 1982-7. Her remarkable achievements, as a woman inside and outside politics, were a lasting legacy to Irishwomen and Irishmen of today. Nuala Fennell died on 11 August 2009. She completed this memoir, Political Woman, a testimony to her public-spirited life's work, a few weeks before her death. Her husband Brian reflects on Nuala's life and achievements in the epilogue of this book.
The Historical Atlas of the Celtic World by John Haywood
Large Format Paperback; 16 Euro / 20 USD / 12 UK; [Add To Basket]
Through fifty-four color maps, covering almost 3,000 years and spanning the whole of Europe, this atlas of the Celts charts their dramatic history from Bronze Age origins to present-day diaspora. Each map is accompanied by an authoritative text and supporting illustrations. “Continental Celts” maps the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures in Central Europe; the migrations into Italy, Iberia, Greece, and Anatolia; the fate of Celtic culture under Roman rule; and the fortunes of the Bretons from the Dark Ages to their absorption by France. Beginning with Iron Age Britain and Ireland, “Atlantic Celts” covers the failure of the Romans to complete the conquest of the islands, the resurgence of Celtic civilization in the Dark Ages, the history of Gaelic Ireland, and the making of Scotland. “Modern Celts” examines the revival of Celtic identity, from the Celtomania of the eighteenth century through the growth of nationalism and the current state of Celtic culture. 180 color, 34 b&w illustrations.
Seamus Brennan: A Life in Government by Frank Lahiffe
Hardback; 23 Euro / 28 USD / 18 UK; 250 pages [Add To Basket]
This unique and timely book is a chronicle of the unrivaled political life of the late Seamus Brennan, who for over 21 years (1987-2008) served as a Government minister in nine different Departments. With a Foreword by former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, it tells the human and personal inside story of a life in Government under Charles Haughey and Bertie Ahern - the challenges, the opportunities, the difficulties, the personalities, the thoughts and the battles inside and outside. The author worked closely with Seamus Brennan as a Government Adviser throughout the 21 years, having been appointed as his Adviser by successive Governments in a record which is unique regarding time served as well as the number of Departments. The book draws on the many conversations Seamus had with the author, and includes personal records, media commentary, Oireachtas Reports, and published accounts, along with personal recollections from a number of other close friends and colleagues who shared the political life of Seamus Brennan while he was serving the people of Ireland, his constituency of Dublin South, and his political party, Fianna Fail. With a large number of photographs, some of which have never before been published, including ones from Seamus' childhood and early life, this is an affectionate portrait of a man hailed by friend and foe as a 'master politician'. As Shane Coleman of the "Sunday Tribune" said of Seamus Brennan, 'Ireland was lucky to have such a man - talented, hardworking and honourable - this country deserves more politicians like Seamus Brennan'.
The Liam MacCarthy Cup by Sean Og O Ceallachain
Hardback; 25 Euro / 20 USD / 20 UK; [Add To Basket]
First awarded in 1923, Sean Og O Ceallachain and Owen McCann survey every decade since then, recalling many of the most famous All-Ireland hurling finals: * The thunder and lightning final of 1939, played in a monsoon on the day World War II broke out * The great Cork and Wexford finals of the 1950s * The achievements of the Tipperary team in the 1960s * Cork's three in a row in the late 1970s * The Galway revival in the 1980s. * The memorable smash-and-grab raid by Offaly in 1994 when Limerick had all but won the championship * Clare and Loughnane in the late 1990s * The big three: Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny after 2000 * Kilkenny's three in a row in 2008. There is nostalgia and excitement in these pages for every lover of the national game.
Around the World in GAA Days by Aaron Dunne
Large Format Paperback; 15 Euro / 20 USD / 10 UK; 224 pages
Large Format Paperback with 8 page full colour photo insert; 12 Euro / 16 USD / 10 UK; 300 pages [Add To Basket]
From its humble beginnings in the lobby of a Thurles hotel in the late nineteenth century, the GAA has grown to become the biggest amateur sporting organisation in the world, spreading its wings to all corners of the globe in the process. In "Around the World in GAA Days", Aaron Dunne takes us on a journey around the world, documenting the spectacular rise of Ireland's national games. From the Gulf Games of the Dubai Celts in the Middle East to the development of underage hurling in Singapore, from the week-long Australian State Games to the rebirth of camogie Down Under, and from the annual Canadian Gaelic Games festival to the powerhouse GAA cities of Chicago, New York and Boston in North America, Dunne has travelled around the globe to meet the people who work tirelessly to promote and maintain Gaelic Games on the international scene. Containing all you ever wanted to know about the GAA and its popularity abroad, "Around the World in GAA Days" is a colourful and entertaining insight into the life of the modern, and not so modern, Irish emigrant.
Unlimited Heartbreak: The Inside Story of Limerick Hurling by Henry Martin
Large Format Paperback; 20 Euro / 25 USD / 30 UK; 260 pages [Add To Basket]
In September 1940 Limerick emerged from Croke Park as All-Ireland Champions for the third time in six years, beating Kilkenny to secure a sixth title. The Limerick minor team also won that day. The future appeared bright, laden with silverware. Almost seventy years later and the McCarthy Cup has returned to Limerick just once, in 1973. This 'warts and all' story of Limerick hurling is an absorbing chronicle, based on 'no-holds-barred' interviews with over 100 passionate players, dedicated mentors and officials who witnessed everything firsthand and have a story to tell. Many give their account for the first time, providing a unique perspective on victories, defeats, controversies, rows, and hard luck stories of what went wrong and where. Interviewees include Richie Bennis, Eamon Cregan, Tom Ryan, Gary Kirby and Ciaran Carey. Players from other counties also contribute, such as Eddie Keher, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Padjoe Whelehan and Babs Keating. A must for any hurling fan, it answers questions pertaining to almost every Limerick hurling issue of the past seventy years, including the drinking culture, politics and propaganda.
My Dear (Kevin) McCourt by Eugene McCague
Hardback; 20 Euro / 25 USD / 15 UK; [Add To Basket]
Kevin McCourt can fairly be described as one of the first truly professional managers in Irish business and as one of its most distinguished leaders. No-one else in Irish business could point to a career at the top, spanning over four decades, and incorporating such diverse industries as tobacco, (as marketing director of P.J.Carroll), broadcasting (as Director General of RTE), distilling (as Managing Director of United Distillers) and steel (as Chairman of Irish Steel). He had also been closely involved with the Federation of Irish Manufacturers and in the early days of the Industrial Authority Regardless of the industry involved, regardless of whether the business was state-owned or family dominated, whether centuries old or just starting out, he approached each role with the same all-consuming drive, pragmatism and desire to be successful. He was international and global in his outlook, before most others in Irish business became so, and he was a pioneer in advocating the critical importance of marketing, advertising and brand awareness as well as the imperative of seeking out export markets.
Bloody Mary by Mary Coughlan
Large Format Paperback; 15 Euro / 20 USD / 11 UK; [Add To Basket]
Since she rose to international fame in 1985 with her seminal Irish jazz album Tired and Emotional, Mary Coughlan’s battles with addiction, the problems in her personal life and career have been well documented. But until now she has never spoken of the traumatic events in her childhood that led to a life of rebellion, running away, and reliance on drugs and alcohol.. In this funny, moving and typically outspoken memoir, Ireland’s best-loved jazz singer pulls no punches in getting to the heart of what made Mary so contrary. Detailing her battles with the bottle, her suicide attempts and her confinement in psychiatric hospitals, Mary tells of how, after hitting rock-bottom, she pulled herself out of the dregs of a vodka bottle to confront the foundations of her problems head-on. As she tells her story – with a ribald, running commentary on the highs and lows of celebrity culture – we get to experience an alternative evolution of Ireland in the ’70s and ’80s, populated with hippies, rock stars and movie moguls, and one wild Irish girl determined to live a life less ordinary.
The Downfall of the Spanish Armada in Ireland by Ken Douglas
Hardback; 25 Euro / 30 USD / 20 UK; [Add To Basket]
His words proved to be more than a warning: they were a prophecy, which was inexorably fulfilled. A siren of alluring beauty, the Irish coast also conceals deadly danger. Destiny was to conspire to transform it into an instrument of terrible destruction and tragic loss of life. In the Atlantic the Armada encountered continuous southerly winds and unknown ocean currents. It was two centuries before it became possible to calculate longitude at sea, and they were unaware that they had not sailed far enough westwards to give themselves the prescribed safety margin. They became separated and lost, and when they at last turned southwards, scattered groups unintentionally descended on Ireland, arriving at fourteen different locations from Donegal to Kerry. Many found shelter, but a few were lost. But on 21 September fourteen ships were destroyed by hurricane force winds: the only occasion during the entire voyage when ships were completely destroyed by the weather. 'A most extreme and cruel storm' the Irish described it. The Spanish recorded that 'in the morning it began to blow from the west with a most terrible fury, bright and with little rain.' Ships that had stayed at sea survived. In Donegal Bay the galleass Girona had sheltered with about 1,000 men. In October, Don Alonso de Leyva arrived with almost 1,000 more. His entourage included young men from all the noble families of Spain. After being repaired, the Girona departed for Scotland at the end of October, overloaded with 1,300 survivors. She so nearly got there, but foundered near the Giant's Causeway with the loss of de Leyva and the flower of Spanish nobility. In all, 24 Spanish ships were lost in Ireland and about 5,000 men died -- far greater losses than had been suffered in the English Channel. The English navy inflicted a narrow defeat on the Armada, but it was the Irish coast that encompassed its downfall. Long before it had been surveyed and charted, when it was almost as unknown to mariners as the surface of the moon, for a few brief months in the autumn of 1588, the Irish coast was caught in the headlights of history. illa and the Rebellion of 1798 by Ciaran Priestley
Trees of Inspiration: Sacred Trees of Ireland by Christine Zucchelli
Large Format Paperback; 25 Euro / 30 USD / 20 UK; 220 pages [Add To Basket]
From ancient times, people appreciated the other-worldly value of trees, often singling out individual trees for special veneration. In Ireland the roots of tree worship reach deep into pagan Celtic religion and spirituality. From Fairy Thorns to Rag Trees, from Mass Bushes to Monument, this book explores the stories and legends of all of Ireland's sacred trees. It also reveals their social and historical functions from pagan times to the present. Did you know that landmark trees were meeting places to install chieftains or that lawsuits were often heard there? People throughout Ireland revered trees so much that they included them in their celebrations of seasonal festivals and held military, political and secret religious conventions on the sites of particular trees. Sacred trees were channels of communication with the divine, through which seers and saints, poets and scholars gained insight and sacred knowledge. In words and images, this is a rich compendium about our relationship with trees and gathers many tree-related remnants of our pagan spiritual past and tree-related oral history into one place.
Please note: Prices were correct at time of original posting but are subject to subsequent change without notice.
Gregory Carr, Independent Bookseller
Read Ireland
392 Clontarf Road
Dublin 3
Ireland
Tel + Fax: +353-1-853-2063
Customer Services Comments, Criticism and Questions
Subscribe to Read Ireland Book News - Our Free Weekly Email Newsletter