Read Ireland Book Reviews
Issue 483
31 July 2010
New in Paperback
Aloys Fleischmann (1880-1964): Immigrant Musician in Ireland by Joseph P. Cunningham and Ruth Fleischmann
Hardback; 49 Euro / 60 USD / 40 UK; 404 pages
This book outlines the career of one of the most distinguished figures in Irish musical life in the first half of the twentieth century - a Bavarian organist, Aloys Fleischmann senior, whose son would later become Professor of Music in UCC. Fleischmann senior came to international attention through his work with the North Cathedral Choir in Cork, which was regarded as one of the finest of its kind. He was a prolific composer who wrote nearly 400 works, and he was a highly respected teacher whose students included Sean A Riada. The Irish Catholic church did not regain public influence until the middle of the 19th century when most of the British anti-Catholic legislation was repealed. Aloys Fleischmann senior and his father-in-law Hans Conrad Swertz were among the fifty continental church musicians who were brought to Ireland from the 1860s by the bishops to develop Catholic church music, as no indigenous tradition of Catholic sacred choral music had survived the period of the Penal Laws. The leading figure of the Irish Revival, Edward Martyn, together with the foreign immigrant musicians were the driving force in the reform of church music prescribed by Pope Pius X in 1903. In Ireland, the efforts to provide ecclesiastical music of quality formed part of a wider cultural movement emanating from a growing awareness and appreciation of Ireland's Gaelic heritage and ancient European links. This biography is the first full study of one of these continental musicians who made a particularly significant contribution to Irish cultural life. An abundance of documentation concerning Fleischmann senior's career has survived, which makes it possible to present an authoritative account of his richly varied professional life and to illuminate the cultural and social context in which he worked. His music is assessed by Seamas de Barra, with an annotated catalogue of the compositions.
King Dan by Patrick Geoghegan
Large Format Paperback; 17 Euro / 22 USD / 12 UK; [Add To Basket]
Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847) was one of the most remarkable people in the nineteenth century. Famous in his day as the most feared lawyer in Ireland, O'Connell tormented judges, terrorised opposing barristers, and won a reputation for saving the lives of so many men who would otherwise have been hanged. He became 'The Counsellor', the fearless defender of the people. And he secured that reputation through his campaign for Catholic emancipation, when he founded the first successful mass democratic movement in European history, and became 'The Liberator'. Patrick Geoghegan's new interpretative biography concentrates on O'Connell's glory period, culminating in 1829. The book provides a radical new interpretation of O'Connell's reckless youth, his career as a lawyer, and his titanic struggle to win Catholic emancipation over a quarter of a century. Recognising his flaws as well as his greatness, it shows the forces that drove him to create and lead an entirely new movement in Irish politics. Perhaps it was no wonder that in 1829, following the concession of Catholic emancipation, George IV lamented that O'Connell was now 'the king of Ireland'.
The Poetry of Medbh McGuckian edited by Shane Alcobia-Murphy and Richard Kirkland
Hardback; 39 Euro / 46 USD / 32 UK; 262 pages
This is the first collection of essays solely dedicated to the achievement of this remarkable Irish poet. The book contains eleven essays by internationally known scholars, a new interview with McGuckian herself, and a detailed bibliography. McGuckian's critical reputation has grown dramatically over the last decade and she is now a poet with an international reputation. This collection provides a timely and relevant appraisal of her work. Author of twelve collections of poetry, Medbh McGuckian is one of Northern Ireland's foremost poets. Medbh McGuckian's poetry now appears as standard reading on courses on Irish literature and culture both in Europe and in the US. Alongside this, her work is also often featured in composition and poetics courses especially in the US. As this suggests, her work is not confined to the Irish Studies constituency. Because one of the major themes of her work is female consciousness and creativity she is also frequently studied on women's studies programmes and courses on feminism. As the first book to concentrate solely on McGuckian's achievement, this book will become the standard work for anyone interested in her work.
The Very Best of Traditional Irish Cooking by Biddy White-Lennon and Georgina Campbell
Large Format Paperback; 8 Euro / 11 USD / 6 UK; 96 pages [Add To Basket]
This book offers a taste of some of the best-loved recipes and traditional dishes that have helped to earn Ireland's reputation for culinary excellence. It begins with an insight into some of the key ingredients, from vegetables, herbs and fruit to meat, fish and dairy. There then follows a range of over 60 traditional step-by-step recipes. More than 250 colour photographs illustrate how each dish is made, as well as showing the beautiful final result. Full nutritional information provides an at-a-glance dietary reference, and there are many suggestions for variations and accompaniments, as well as stories of the traditions surrounding the recipes. Packed with tantalizing recipes, expert advice and stunning photography, this book is essential reading for all lovers of Irish food.
About the Authors:Biddy White-Lennon has published six books, four of them about Irish food. She made a series of television programmes about healthy eating for Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE), and writes a weekly column for the Irish Farmers' Journal. She is also a regular contributor to Food & Wine magazine. Biddy was a founding member of the Irish Food Writers' Guid. Georgina Campbell is a weekly columnist in the Irish Independent Weekend magazine and a regular contributor to Food & Wine magazine. She is a founding member of the Irish Food Writers'Guild, and also a member of Britains' Guild of Food Writers and the International Slow Food Movement.
Country Cooking of Ireland by Colman Andrews
Hardback; 35 Euro / 50 USD / 25 UK; 392 pages [Add To Basket]
There is a sense in which all Irish cooking - at least the good stuff, the real thing - is country cooking. That is to say that it's almost inevitably straightforward, homey fare, based on first-rate raw materials whose identity shines through. "The Country Cooking of Ireland" captures this culinary spirit with 250 recipes, over 100 color photographs and stories about farmers, producers and regions and - yes, indeed - limericks. Author Colman Andrews traveled Ireland many times over, talking and eating with Irish chefs, farmers, cheese makers, butchers and fisherman. Ireland - for its superlative raw materials, its immensely satisfying traditional home cooking, and its new wave of artisanal producers and imaginative but well-grounded chefs-is simply one of the most exciting food stories in the world today. All over Ireland a new culinary world is taking shape: rural entrepreneurs bucking food-unfriendly regulators to build little businesses around small-scale food production and distribution; restaurants revising their menus to take better advantage of the native bounty, or new ones opening with a sense of Irish-based imagination and adventure; scholars and lay writers delving seriously into the lore and history of Irish cooking and eating, encouraging producers and chefs alike. Forget the jokes: Ireland has the potential to become, in the very near future, one of the most compelling gastronomic destinations in Europe-and it's already a darned good place to eat.
Cycle Touring Ireland by Tom Cooper
Paperback; 18 Euro / 26 USD / 13 UK; 256 pages [Add To Basket]
To cycle tour in Ireland is not just to pass through the country, but to become part of it. The timeless mountains, valleys and lakes are waiting, as are the hostels, camp sites and traditional Irish pubs. "Cycle Touring in Ireland" describes 12 routes all around and across the country, seeking out the quiet, the quirky and the spectacular parts of this beautiful island in tours that can be fitted into a week's riding or combined into itineraries right up to a complete tour. The routes in the book have been ridden as fully loaded tours to ensure the most up-to-date and relevant guidance on road conditions and what is worth seeing. This title is illustrated with coloured maps and step-by-step route cards. It is full information on how to get there, when to go and where to stay. Historical points of interest are highlighted in it.
Burren Village: Tales of History and Imagination edited by Sarah Poyntz
Large Format Paperback; 17 Euro / 24 USD / 11 UK; 256 pages, with black-and-white photos throughout [Add To Basket]
The villages written about in this book all have their own character and "Burren Villages" takes readers on a journey which they will want to repeat again and again. The trails and paths that wind like grey ribbons across the hills are a journey through time. The Burren holds many secrets. Interpreting its innermost inscrutable thoughts is not an easy challenge. People set out to capture it; instead it captures them. Burrenophelia is not as well known as Francophelia or Anglophelia but is a recognised bona fida philia. This title is presented with contributions from locally and nationally renowned writers such as Fintan O'Toole, Michael Loughrey and many others.
Follow the Money by David McWilliams
Paperback; 10 Euro / 14 USD / 8 UK; [Add To Basket]
We catch up with old friends, Breakfast Roll Man and Miss Pencil Skirt, and meet new characters like the Merchant of Ennis, Shylock and the Godfather. We have late night tea with Brian Lenihan and cross swords with Seanie Fitzpatrick. We learn why the average drug dealer on the side of the street has more in common with the banker than either would care to mention, as we follow the money o in both rackets o from its source at the very top right down to the 'buy now, pay later' deals at rock bottom. Why should we trust the people who got us into this mess in the first place? They were wrong then and they are wrong now. The politicians, bankers and developers think they can hand us the bill and walk away from the carnage. They want us follow a route that will make things worse for the ordinary man on the street while saving the bankers at the top of the tree, insisting that there is no other way. But there is an obvious alternative which has been adopted by every economy that has successfully emerged from this type of crisis. With the same sense of fun as The Pope's Children, David McWilliams makes answering hard questions easy. In his typical breezy style, he suggests where to go from here. To be led up the garden path once in the past ten years is a tragedy; to be led up twice by the same people is unforgiveable. There is an alternative. Follow the Money is an optimistic and uplifting book about that alternative, which is well within our grasp if only we'd wake up and seize it.
The Book of Tara by Michael Slavin
Paperback; 15 Euro / 20 USD / 11 UK; 176 pages [Add To Basket]
Tara is the heartland of Ireland's Celtic past. It is the site of St Patrick's confrontation with the druids and seat of the High Kings. Legend and history meet in Tara - the Stone of Destiny, which cries out only when touched by a true king, still sits at its summit. Centuries after Tara had been abandoned by Irish rulers, it was chosen as the rallying point for the United Irishmen of the 1798 rebellion. Daniel O'Connell, The Liberator, relied on its power in the 19th century to draw a record attendance to a Home Rule meeting. Today over 30,0000 people visit Tara each year. This text weaves together strands of mythology, history, archaeology and geology to reconstruct Tara's past. It is part guide, part history and part legend.
Please note: Prices were correct at time of original posting but are subject to subsequent change without notice.
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