Read Ireland Book Review
Issue 127
Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of the Coins of Scotland, Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man by Richard Lobel et. al (Hardback; 44.00 IEP / 55.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This book is the first new catalogue on the subject in 15 years. It covers over 1000 years of coin issues. It has over 400 pages printed on gloss art paper, large format hardback. With photographs, histories and information plus prices which reflect the current market. It has been carefully researched and is lavishly illustrated. It is an important work for everyone interested in the histories of these two countries and who wants to learn more about the subject. It will take pride of place on any numismatist's shelf.
Anchor Book of New Irish Writing: The New Gaelach Ficsean edited by John Somer and John J. Daly (Paperback; 15.00 IEP / 20.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
From a nation of storytellers comes a rich, dramatic collection of short fiction that demonstrates the power, vitality, and diversity of the modern Irish story. From writers whose work has become synonymous with the contemporary Irish literary renaissance - such as Maeve Binchy, Neil Jordan, and Patrick McCabe - to a host of fresh voices that represent the emerging vanguard of Irish fiction, this extraordinary group of short stories showcases where Irish writers are now, as well as where they are headed. Complete list of authors: John Banville, Sara Berkeley, Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Bowen, Clare Boylan, Evelyn Conlon, Anne Devlin, Emma Donoghue, Mary Dorcey, Anne Enright, Desmond Hogan, Neil Jordan, Rita Kelly, Bernard MacLaverty, Aidan Mathews, Patrick McCabe, Colum McCann, Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Joseph O'Connor, Michael O'Loughlin, Ronan Sheehan, Cherry Smyth and Eamonn Sweeney.
Personal Accounts from Northern Ireland's Troubles edited by Marie Smyth and Marie-Therese Fay (Paperback; 16.90 IEP / 22.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
Most people are unaware of the true consequences of the kind of violence that Northern Ireland has experienced over the last thirty years. The language used by the media in phrases such as collateral damage, and friendly fire, conspires to sanitise and conceal the awful, gory and horrifying reality of the impact of war on the lives of ordinary people. Based on indepth interviews and survey work conducted by the pioneering The Cost of the Troubles Study, this collection represents the first in-depth evidence of personal loss in Northern Ireland during the conflict. The events described in this book are told from the perspectives of interviewees drawn from varied backgrounds and who have a range of experiences of the conflict. The heartbreaking and unbearable reality for all is that their loss is irretrievable. No one can repair the damage: nothing can compensate. At a time when violence is increasingly presented as entertainment, gun-cultures proliferate and armed conflicts can escalate seemingly overnight, this collection provides a necessary understanding of the cost of violence.
Rediscovering the Celts: The True Witness from Western Shores by Martin Robinson (Paperback; 10.40 IEP / 13.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
Much has been made of rediscovering Celtic spirituality in recent years. Indeed, many have felt this has been a spiritual 'homecoming' for them. But how should contemporary Christians respond to this phenomenon? In this book, the author explores the flowering of the unique Celtic expression of Christianity in history. He warns against romanticising it, and highlights the elements of Celtic Christianity that are of lasting value. He uncovers the hallmarks of the Celtic Church's missionary success - its involvement in the transformation of society, its approach to worship and spirituality, and its immersion in Scripture. Much of what he relates resonates with our concerns for society today, enabling us to gain a real and balanced insight from the witness of the Celtic Church.
The Annulment: A Novel of Ireland and Los Angeles by Christopher Thomas Cairney (Paperback; 15.00 IEP / 20.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
In this novel, a faint cry of moral stubbornness curses a powerful university sports culture built upon legal corruption, money and greed. A novel in the tradition of a postmodern gothic, this novel is at once a love story, a horror story and a deep investigation of that fiction constructed for us called 'modern society.' The protagonist of the novel is a writer living in Los Angeles. Recently divorced, he seeks an annulment through the Archdiocese of L.A. Late one night a stranger leaves him a book belonging to a learned man in a backwater of Europe. He tries to return the book to its owner but gets into trouble: with the IRA in Belfast. What he eventually learns about the book and its owner profoundly affects his life.
Irish Traditions by Kathleen Jo Ryan (US)(Hardback; 14.95 IEP / 20.00 USD) [Add To Basket]
This beautiful book contains 122 full-colour photographs which capture the spirit and beauty of Ireland. It also contains 17 essays by the country's leading personalities which offer lively insights onto the character of its people and its rich cultural traditions. The authors photographs evoke the mists and sunlight that play on the forty shades of green, the romantic legend, and the dark superstitions of Ireland. Art historians Desmond Guinness and The Knight of Glin write about architecture and the decorative arts; novelist Benedict Kiely and actor Cyril Cusack observe wordcraft on page and stage; architect Patrick Shaffrey and playwright Hugh Leonard trace the patterns and characters of cities, towns and suburbs; folklorist John B. Keane invites the reader to a country fair; and Lord Killanin takes the mystery out of such indigenous sports as hurling and Gaelic football. Nine other essays cover such subjects as Ireland's craft tradition, the Irish gift of the gab, and the rich lode of mythology, magic and history. All together, this book is a tribute to Irish creativity.
The Songs of Elizabeth Cronin: Irish Traditional Singer edited by Daibhi O Cronin (IR)(Paperback; 24.95 IEP / 31.50 USD) [Add To Basket]
Elizabeth (Bess) Cronin, 'The Queen of Irish Song' as Seamus Ennis called her, is probably the best-known Irish female traditional singer of our time. Her reputation was such that collectors came from far and near to hear and record her singing. Seamus Ennis collected her songs from the Irish Folklore Commission in the mid-1940s, and again, with Brian George, for the BBC in the early 1950s. American collectors also recorded her: most notably Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1951. Over eighty of her songs are captured on tape, but only a few of these have ever been available to the public. This new publication offers the complete collection (in Irish and English), with the texts of all the songs, and a biographical essay. Accompanying the book is a set of remastered recordings, from public and private collections, illustrating the wide range of her repertoire, which included child ballads, songs in Irish and English, and children's songs. The book also includes personal family momentos collected by her son, including her autographed song-lists; transcriptions of her songs, notes and comments recorded by her father, and photographic material not previously available. This personal, family material is combined with unique access to the BBC, IFC and privately recorded American material to offer a comprehensive account of an extraordinary singer and her distinctive singing style.
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