Read Ireland Book News - Issue 19
<-- [Back To Main Menu] 1. Celibates and Other Lovers by Walter Keady (hardback; 14.95 Irish pounds / 22.50 US Dollars approximately) [Add To Basket]
From the age of reason, Phelim O'Brien is obsessed by a morbid fear of hell. And from the age of puberty he's tormented by the certainty he'll wind up there. Philpot Emmet, however, refuses to accept that the slightest tittle of carnal pleasure is a mortal sin. In this endearing and sweetly funny debut novel, the author writes with obvious affection about the villagers of Creevagh, saints and sinners alike.
Keady is a bright new voice in Irish-American literature. He brings the reader back to the humour and lyricism of earlier Irish writing, in prose that is new and fresh.
2. No Go: A Photographic Record of Free Derry by Barney McMonagle (paperback; 12.00 IRP / 18.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
On 5 January 1969 the words "You Are Now Entering Free Derry" were painted on the gable end of a house in the Bogside. Then just a slogan on a neighbourhood wall, it is now a monument to one of the most momentous periods in the history of Derry, and of Northern Ireland.
It was a period of great change, and also one of very visible change. Since the events of 5 October 1968 the world's media had descended on Derry and every protest march, every riot became world news. Local photographer Barry McMonagle joined the media on the streets of Free Derry, taking over 1000 photographs between 1968 and 1971. The civil rights marches, the Battle of the Bogside, the arrival of the British army, all are vividly recalled within the pages of this book, bringing back into sharp focus a time when Derry was the catalyst for change throughout Northern Ireland.
Of this collection of photographs, very few have been previously published, until now! A disturbing and fascinating book.
3. Reflections on a Quiet Rebel by Cal McCrystal (hb; 17.60 IRP / 26.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book is an evocative and beautifully written account of life in Northern Ireland. Sharply observed, it is a poignant journey covering the years and experiences of childhood, adolescence and young adulthood and it is a book which sheds much light on a country which, for all its virtues, willingly and persistently tears itself apart.
Catching some of the echoes from a life with its own redemptive message for the people of Northern Ireland, this book is in part a memoir of the author's father with who he enjoyed a deeply affectionate relationship. It is also about the Ireland in which he grew up, before the outbreak of the recent Troubles, the Ireland of his childhood. It is an attempt to gain and impart understanding of a conflict driven by base communal hatreds, yet spangled confusingly with generous impulses that occasionally have brought Ulster people together in hope and presented their true worth.
4. Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World by John O'Donohue (hb; 16.55 IRP / 24.80 USD) [Add To Basket]
When St. Patrick came to Ireland in the 5th century AD, he encountered the Celtic people and a flourishing spiritual tradition that had already existed for thousands of years. He discovered that where the Christians worshipped one God, the Celts had many and found divinity all around them: in the rivers and hills, the sea and sky, and in every kind of animal. The ancient Celtic reverence for the spirit in all things survives to this day - a vibrant legacy of mystical wisdom that is unique in the Western world.
Now, in this exquisite book, Irish poet and scholar, John O'Donohue, uses an intuitive approach to spirituality and, with authentic Irish prayers and blessings, shares the secrets of this ancient world. Here you learn how to reconnect with the treasures that lie hidden in your own soul, how to discover your individual nature and understand the 'secret divinity' in your relationships. Here, too, you will see how the Irish 'hospitality' towards death can help you become more compassionate, generous and fearless.
As the author traces the cycles of life and nature, he draws from the holy waters of Ireland's spiritual heritage, from the Celts and Druid shamans, to lead you to a place where your heart can be healed and nourished - a place where you will discover your own 'anam cara', your true 'soul friend'.
5. Kinvara: A Seaport Town on Galway Bay by Caoilte Breatnach (pb; 8.99 IRP / 13.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
This unique selection of historical photographs evokes the atmosphere of an era when horse carts and sailing boats set the pace of daily life in Kinvara. The reader gets a sense of the steady rhythm of the town's everyday activity, the bustle on market day, the busyness in shops, on farms and in the harbour.
The thoroughly researched text which compliments the photographs contains a wealth of detail and locally sourced information. Quotes and anecdotes capture the wit and humour of a rural community. The compilers of this book have put together an impressive record of a coastal community's social and economic traditions, affording a rare and vivid insights into Kinvara's past as a lively port and market town.
6. The Celtic Image by Courtney Davis and David James (hb; 16.99 IRP / 25.40 USD) [Add To Basket]
From the Celtic lands of Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany, the Isle of Man, Wales and Scotland, the world of the Celts has numerous facets and beautiful images. This book describes and show graphically the wealth of motifs and the fascination of Celtic images, from the early artefacts of Celtic civilisation to a modern renaissance, and from both their pagan and then Christian traditions. There are wonderful descriptions and superb visual depictions of crosses, standing stones, carvings, craftsmanship, legend and religion - the very essence of the Celtic image.
The stunning illustrations, in colour and black and white, by noted artist Courtney Davis are both works of art and a source of inspiration. These vibrant images and the text by Celtic publisher and writer David James make this book informative and stimulating.
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