Read Ireland Book Reviews
Issue 428
Keylines for Living: Words to Inspire and Sustain You by Ann Henning Jocelyn
Large Format Trade Paperback; 15 Euro / 22 USD / 11 UK; 146 pages
"Keylines" is a book for reading and rereading, for giving and sharing - a fund of poetic reflections on themes of deep concern to us all: love and loss, personal growth, relationships, with others and the world in general. Presented with honesty and perception, warmth and wisdom, the "Keylines" will strike a chord with readers of all ages, from all walks of life. You may want to keep it by your bedside, to dip into from time to time. Each time you open the book, you may find that one particular entry seems to speak to you personally, address your current status quo. Or else, it will contain something that could help or comfort a friend, perhaps someone struck by illness or recently bereaved. There is comfort in the discovery that pain does not isolate you from others, but brings you closer to the human condition that we all share. All the material in this book is based on the author's own experiences, on real people, real events, which, no matter how ordinary and mundane, hold the key to much wisdom.
Ann Henning Jocelyn writes out of a deep straight-forward awareness of such matters, in a way that is sensitive and courageous, compassionate and observant, whilst still dealing with the process of growing and being healed. "Keylines" is a book full of hope, sympathy and comfort, showing everything we encounter in life to be significant, and therefore, worthwhile.
The North: A View From the Skies by Esler Crawford
Hardback; 40 Euro / 60 USD / 30 UK; 160 pages, full colour photographs throughout [Add To Basket]
'Seen from the air, the beauty of our northern landscapes can stilltake my breath away' - Esler Crawford. Esler Crawford has been photographing the spectacular scenery of the north of Ireland for over thirty years. Taken from the skies, his extraordinary images create a unique portrait of the North, transforming our view of the landscape, making us see familiar and loved places anew. This collection of over 130 brand new photographs confirms Esler Crawford's reputation as one of Ireland's leading aerial photographers.From the rugged beauty of the Antrim coastline to the breathtaking drama of the Donegal headlands, these photographs capture the wonderfully varied patterns and textures of our landscape. The vibrant greens of the patchwork fields; the silver ribbons of the Bann and Blackwater rivers; the dynamic cityscapes of Belfast, Derry and Armagh; and the island-studded waters of Lough Erne are among the many riches that feature in this incredible aerial journey around the North. "The North: A View from the Skies" is a dazzling celebration of the north of Ireland - a fitting and much anticipated sequel to Esler's bestselling "North from the Air".
Inishmurray: Monks and Pilgrims in an Atlantic Landscape by Jerry O’Sullivan and Tomas O Carragain
Hardback; 50 Euro / 70 USD / 35 UK; 406 pages, with full colour photographs throughout
Inishmurray is a small island in Donegal Bay off County Sligo. It enjoys a reputation as one of the best-preserved early medieval church sites in Ireland and Europe. The remains are complex and extensive, representing an early Irish monastic community and an important regional pilgrimage centre. There has been no detailed survey of these remains since the 1880s. This new survey and series of excavations by the authors carried out between 1997 and 2000 form the basis for this first sustained interpretative account of Inishmurray. Lavishly illustrated with old and contemporary images, this book does justice to Inishmurray's iconic place in the maritime landscape of Sligo and Donegal Bay.
Chairman of the Boards, Master of the Mile by Eamonn Coghlan
Large Format Trade Paperback; 17 Euro / 24 USD / 12 UK; 266 pages, with black-and-white photos throughout [Add To Basket]
From humble beginnings running the streets of Dublin, and throughout his career, Eamonn Couglan has graced race tracks across the globe in pursuit of a single ambition – to be the best. Along the way he punished himself physically and mentally to achieve his goal – to become champion of the world – while twice experiencing the bitter taste of Olympic failure – a failure that continues to hurt. In this remarkably candid journey through his life, he recalls the joys of success, the deep love of his wife and family and the extraordinary relationships he forged enroute to becoming one of Ireland’s greatest sporting heroes.
Kenny’s Choice: 101 Irish Books You Must Read by Des Kenny
Trade Paperback with Endflaps; 20 Euro / 30 USD / 15 UK; 336 pages
One of Ireland s best-known and most popular booksellers makes his choice of the best, the most interesting, the most influential books published in Ireland over the last century. In keeping with the congenial and maverick personality of the author, there are many unexpected inclusions, and some unexpected exclusions, notable James Joyce s Ulysses. The list begins (alphabetically by first name) with Aidan Higgins and finishes with William Trevor and on the way includes John Healy, Peadar O Donnell, Peter Somerville-Large, Thomas Lynch, Eilís Dillon. Books in Irish are represented by authors like Breandán Ó hEithir and Tomás Ó Criomhthain. Some of the books chosen are enduring classics and have even found their way on to school and university syllabi; others, despite their quality, are out of print and forgotten by many. The Kenny Book Bag will intrigue, delight and annoy Irish book-buyers in equal measure.
Weaving Dreams: A True Irish Love Story by Noel Donegan and Luz Java
Trade Paperback; 13 Euro / 18 USD / 9 UK; 290 pages, with an 8-page full colour photo insert [Add To Basket]
It was January 2003. Noel Donegan, penniless and filled with despair following the break-up of his marriage, had almost thrown himself in front of a train. Luz Java raped at the age of 15 and forced to marry her rapist had escaped a lifetime of abuse and fear in the Philippines to find a new life in Ireland. Their chance meeting in a bookshop was to transform their lives. Noel and Luz fell in love. Without a penny to their name, they could not even afford to buy Noel's sister a birthday card so Luz made one by tearing up a magazine and weaving the strips together. In a moment of inspiration, they realised that this could be the answer to their prayers. They invented a toy, Paper FX Dream Weaver, which has now won many major toy awards and has sold over 150,000 units worldwide. Now, they share their success through a charity that builds schools in the Philippines. Weaving Dreams tells the story of how two people fell in love and, against all the odds, built a dream.
What the Doctor Ordered: An Encyclopaedia of Wexford Opera Festival Since 1951 edited by Kevin Lewis
Hardback; 25 Euro / 36 USD / 18 UK; 254 pages, with black-and-white photos throughout [Add To Basket]
"What the Doctor Ordered", the first encyclopaedia of its kind on Wexford Festival Opera, is an A to Z of the festival's history from its foundation in 1951 to the present day. It includes entries for all of the 154 operas staged since the founding of the event, together with cast lists and almost 1,000 entries for many of the singers, conductors, producers, designers and recitalists who have taken part over the years. A special feature of the book is a number of guest essays by some of the key figures of the festival such as the founder himself, Dr T.J. Walsh. Through the memories and insights of the guest essayists, the readers can get a taste of the enduring magic of the festival. Well complemented with many fine photographs, it is a compact guide for any lover of opera, and should serve as an ideal reference source to this most enchanting festival.
Island of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland’s Ancient Astronomers by Anthony Murphy and Richard Moore
Large Format Trade Paperback with Endflaps; 30 Euro / 40 USD / 20 UK; 336 pages, with full colour photographs throughout [Add To Basket]
Around 6,000 years ago a most sophisticated and enigmatic community of people began to arise on the island of Ireland. They were the megalithic builders of the Stone Age, cunning engineers and master astronomers who systematically assembled a vast calendrical and astronomical scheme which would stand intact over five millennia. Today, the individual monuments which each form a part of that complicated astronomical assembly lie decaying in the landscape, straddling the Boyne river, which in ancient times was named after the Milky Way galaxy and was considered its earthly equivalent. Archaeologists have been probing individual sites over the last fifty years, and have been revealing intriguing information, carvings, artefacts and dating material which, as well as answering many questions, pose even more about the purpose and genesis of these great monuments. Perhaps more importantly, some of the ancient stone sites continue to function more than five millennia after they were constructed, with famous examples, such as Newgrange and Dowth, featuring alignments to the Winter Solstice sun. In "Island of the Setting Sun" a greater story of their genesis can finally be told. As these sites awaken from the slumber of five millennia, we can more definitively describe their true purpose - to track time, vast periods of time, to bring the sky down on to the ground in a grand astronomical scheme. The authors' exploration of the sky-ground system is taken from an array of perspectives, most notably through the ancient stories about these places - some of which may be as ancient as the sites themselves. Within the complex layers of myth, folklore and placename stories lies a concealed astronomical language. Interpreting these coded cosmological messages, the authors have found that together the landscape, the astronomy and the myth reveal the true intent of the megalithic master builders of a time when giants were said to rule the land. In this revised and updated edition, which includes many new discoveries, disparate things are explored, including the invasion myths of Ireland, the link between the ancient astronomers and St. Patrick, the true inspiration behind Newgrange's white quartz facade, the migratory patterns of Whooper Swans, the female reproductive system and its importance to the mound-builders, the eight-year Moon-Venus cycle, and a plethora of stories about such things as underwater spears, giant hounds, tragic drownings, cruel murders, vast battles, strange animals and the Irish cyclops. In short, "Island of the Setting Sun" provides a revision of how we look at prehistory in Ireland
Lakeshore Loops: Exploring Ireland’s Lakes by John Dunne
Trade Paperback; 15 Euro / 22 USD / 11 UK; 336 pages [Add To Basket]
Irelands coastline, waterways and historical monuments have been widely documented in previous publications, but Irelands lakes have never been given their due attention, as either historical sites or tourist attractions. Lakeshore Loops by John Dunne is the first guide to these natural jewels and offers the reader the opportunity to tour them by bicycle, like the author did, by car, by boat, or by foot. Full of anecdotes and local lore, the author includes the many nearby points of interest, the origins of some of the more unusual place-names and the legends of lake monsters and banshees. There are maps of each lake with the points of interest and nearby attractions clearly marked. In Lakeshore Loops, nature and culture go hand in hand with the green hills and glistening waters of the Irish countryside. So arise and go now!
Walking the Back Roads: A Journey from Donegal to Clonmacnoiose by Michael McMonagle
Trade Paperback; 10 Euro / 15 USD / 7 UK; 256 pages [Add To Basket]
This book is a snapshot of Ireland as the author found it, featuring the people he met, encounters with nature, some history and the author’s own reflections as he walks his way from Gartan in Co. Donegal down to the historic monastery of Clonmacnoice in Co. Offaly. The author took his initial inspiration for the walk from St Finnan and his prophecy relating to the birth of Colmcille but found his journey in the Ireland of today just as intriguing as the story of Finnan’s Dream. The author’s walk retraced the early journey, and his impressions of modern-day Ireland and the Irish are interwoven through descriptions of the countryside and recollections of humorous and serious historical events. The story of a modern pilgrimage in search, not of religious faith but of the spirit of Ireland.
The Railway House: Tales from an Irish Fireside by Barry Kennerk
Hardback; 12 Euro / 18 USD / 9 UK; 204 pages [Add To Basket]
This book is a unique account of the family life centred on an Irish country branch rail line. Over 2500 railway houses are still in existence today in Ireland. This book focuses on a railway house near an embankment at the end of a short boreen cutting through the esker ridge of the Ballinough Hills. Looking out past a level crossing onto the lonely expanse of Doury bog, it strikes a solitary presence in the surrounding landscape. On either end, its gable walls face towards the towns of Tullamore and Clara. It was into this four-roomed home Kathleen Mary Gaynor was born on 8th April, 1914 – this is the story of her family, the trains and the people who worked on them.
The Ships of Rosslare Harbour by Brian Clear, Leo Coy, John Boyce and Brian Boyce
Large Format Paperback; 20 Euro / 28 USD / 14 UK; 120 pages, with full colour and black-and-white photos throughout [Add To Basket]
Rosslare Harbour is Ireland’s gateway to Europe. It is positioned on the very tip of the southeast coast and offers the shortest sea route from Ireland to Wales and France. It is also an important ferry port, with regular passages to Fishguard, Roscoff, Pembroke and LeHavre. This book contains over 250 images of the diverse types of vessels that have moored in this Europort, including passenger ferries, car ferries, ro-ro ferries, coasters, sailing ships, fishing boats, naval ships and lifeboats. In this book the authors have outlined the history of Rosslare Harbour since its humble beginnings in the 1870s.
Daddy, Please Don’t by Barbara Naughton
Trade Paperback; 13 Euro / 18 USD / 9 UK; 300 pages [Add To Basket]
In this book the author talks about the six years of physical and sexual violence that she suffered at the hands of her sadistic father, often when the rest of her family were in the house. She tells of his repeated threats to kill her if she ever told anyone and the two times he actually tried to murder her. The final attack occurred when she was 18 and as he was raping her and choking her, Barbara made a vow to herself – if she survived, she would come forward and get justice against her father. The shocking details of abuse revealed in the court case in 2002 tore apart her family.
Walking Shandon: A Guide to Cork’s Historic Heart by Peter Foynes
Paperback; 5 Euro / 7 USD / 3.50 UK; with black-and-white and full-colour photos throughout [Add To Basket]
This short walking guide leads the reader through the Shandon area of Cork city, the part of the north side of the city bounded by or close to the triangle formed by the River Lee between the Opera House/Christy Ring Bridge and the Griffith/Northgate Brid ge at the base and rising to the North Cathedral at the apex. Shandon has had a distinct identity since at least the 12th century and is the historically richest part of the city of Cork.
Please note: Prices were correct at time of original posting but are subject to subsequent change without notice.
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