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Wednesday, November 30, 2005

BookView Ireland

___________________________________________________________________ BookView Ireland :: November, 2005 :: Issue No.124 From Irish Emigrant Publications, the free news service for the global Irish community http://www.IrishEmigrant.com Editor: Pauline Ferrie :: Copyright 2005 Irish Emigrant Ltd ___________________________________________________________________ This monthly supplement to the Irish Emigrant reviews books recently published in Ireland, and those published overseas which have an Irish theme. A searchable database of all books reviewed by us over the last six years is now available at http://www.bookviewireland.ie ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ____CONTENTS Bestseller Lists Reviews - That Day's Struggle: A Memoir 1904-1951 – Sean MacBride - The Ancient Books of Ireland – Michael Slavin - Vintage Nell – ed. Elgy Gillespie - Wordgloss – Jim O'Donnell - Claddagh: The Story of the Ring – Patricia McAdoo - Francis Bacon's Studio – Margarita Cappock - Under Fragile Stone – Oisin McGann - Life on a Famine Ship – Duncan Crosbie - Rachel's Favourite Food for Friends – Rachel Allen - Feis na nGleann – Phoenix, O Cleireachain, McAuley & McSparran - Rambling Rector – Norman Ruddock - Out of Your Tree – Dominic Lee - Broken Rails – Brian Mac Aongusa - Irish Times Book of the Year 2005 – ed. Peter Murtagh - In the Bestsellers but not reviewed General News - Minister announces Beckett centenary celebrations - Book celebrates Cork sportspeople - Sports Book of the Year announced - IMPAC long list announced - McLaverty archive presented to Linen Hall - Most Promising Poet named - Justice Flood launches tribunal book - Launch of Pauline Bewick book - Newly published books __________________________sponsor_______________________________ IRISH GIFTS TO TREASURE www.heirloom.ie Whether you need to send an Irish gift to Athlone or Zambia, Boston or Berlin, London or Louth, Heirloom.ie is your best choice. Our beautiful selection of Irish gifts will match your every need. :: Bodhrans :: Chess Sets :: Silver Jewellery :: Wood Craft :: :: Wildlife Photography :: Joe Boske Prints :: Throws :: :: Galway Prints :: Special Gifts :: Visit our site to see our range of Irish gifts: http://ieplists.com?http://www.heirloom.ie ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ____BESTSELLERS LIST Paperback Fiction: 1. Salem Falls, Jodi Picoult - Hodder 2. Sheer Abandon, Penny Vincenzi - Headline 3. The Innocent, Harlan Coben - Orion 4. Ladies Night, Jessica Adams et al – Harper Collins 5. Nights of Rain and Stars, Maeve Binchy - Orion Paperback Non-fiction: 1. Rachel's Favourite Food for Friends, Rachel Allen 2. On The Beat, Mary T. O'Connor 3. Don't Wake Me At Doyles, Maura Murphy 4. Dessie: Tangled Up in Blue, Dessie Farrell & Sean Potts 5. Hurling: The Revolution Years, Denis Walsh Hardback Fiction 1. If You Could See Me Now, Cecelia Ahern 2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightdress - Paul Howard and Ross O'Carroll Kelly 3. How Will I Know?, Sheila O'Flanagan 4. The Lincoln Lawyer, Michael Connelly 5. Predator, Patricia Cornwell Hardback Non-fiction: 1. Guinness World Records 2006 - Guinness 2. Jamie's Italy, Jamie Oliver – Michael Joseph 3. Memoir, John McGahern - Faber 4. Further Under the Duvet, Marian Keyes – Michael Joseph 5. Rucks, Mauls and Gaelic Football, Moss Keane & Billy Keane __________________________sponsor_______________________________ Working for a Just World TROCAIRE GLOBAL GIFT PLAN Chooose from eight life-changing Global Gifts this Christmas Your gift goes directly to families in the world's poorest regions You receive a beautiful card and gift certificate to send to your loved one. Click here to order your gift today http://ieplists.com?http://www.trocaire.org/globalgift ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ____REVIEWS _______________________________________________________ That Day's Struggle: A Memoir 1904-1951 – Sean MacBride Sean McBride's former secretary, Caitriona Lawlor, has edited the memoirs he compiled in the 1970s into a readable and interesting view of the development of the State over its first four decades and the part played by MacBride in its formation. The son of Major John MacBride, one of those executed for his part in the 1916 Rising, and Maude Gonne, the champion of the poor and an ardent nationalist, the young Sean was inevitably drawn into the struggle for independence. In his early teens he colluded in a scheme which saw his mother return to Dublin disguised as an old woman. At the age of seventeen he had to make the decision that he was prepared to die for his country, a decision he made after careful thought. This reasoned approach permeated much of his future career, both in law and as a politician, though there is some evidence that others did not always find his actions or motives utterly reasonable. What does emerge from these memoirs is that Sean MacBride was totally committed to the independence of his country and to the unification of Ireland. Imprisoned more than once and excommunicated twice, he adhered to his principles even when they placed him in conflict with those most dear to him; he and his mother agreed to differ over the question of the Treaty which he viewed, as he believed did Michael Collins, as a stepping stone to total independence. Sean MacBride knew and worked closely with many of the major players in Ireland over the formative years of the State and it is this which makes his memoirs so interesting. He was, however, equally committed to a united Europe, in particular to a European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights. The memoir is peppered with a number of interesting and amusing anecdotes, and it is in the context of Europe that the best occurs. The description of a dinner hosted by Robert Schuman in a bid to reconcile differences between British Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Stafford Cripps and Averell Harriman, a former US ambassador to London, descends into pure farce; it was an unexpected interlude in what is mainly a serious account of four decades in the life of a statesman and future Nobel Peace Prize winner. (Currach Press, ISBN 1-85607-929-5, pp240, EU24.99) _____________________________________________ The Ancient Books of Ireland - Michael Slavin For most of us the Book of Kells, the Annals of the Four Masters and, possibly, the Book of Durrow would be the titles mentioned if we were asked to name some of the ancient books for which Ireland is famous. In this work Michael Slavin introduces us to a further five notable books as well as a number of minor tomes which have also increased our knowledge of Irish legend and history. His avowed intention has been to underscore the ownership of these old books by all the people of Ireland and to do so by bringing to a wider audience the fruits of his own extensive reading. And in a colourful, generously illustrated volume Slavin has done just that. Rather than following a chronological pattern he has chosen to deal with the works in the chronological order of the material they contain; thus he begins with The Book of the Dun Cow, largely compiled in the 11th century but dealing with the pre- history of Ireland. This method of working has not been entirely successful as it is not always easy for the reader to contextualise the different books. The earlier books featured in this volume, including the Book of Leinster, the Book of Ballymote and the various Books of Lecan, show the beginnings of the art of illumination which reached its zenith in the Book of Durrow and the Book of Kells, the latter described by Eugene O'Curry as "A gigantic piece of work that towers audaciously above other contemporary illuminated books". Slavin does not only focus on the merits and contents of the works, however; his history of each volume, the sometimes perilous journeys undertaken and the strokes of luck that preserved them for posterity are also recorded. The Book of Armagh, for example, was sold for Stg5 by its owner to pay for his passage to England where he gave evidence against Oliver Plunkett, while the Book of Lismore spent some time sealed within the walls of Lismore Castle, where it provided food for generations of rats and mice. The Cathach, Ireland's oldest book, the Books of the Brehon Laws, the Annals of Innisfallen and Keating's Foras Feasa ar Eirinn are among the books examined and Slavin's work echoes the words of Michael O'Clery, the leader of the Four Masters, when he said: "Nothing is more glorious, more respectable, or more honourable, than to bring to light the knowledge of antiquity of ancient authors...". (Wolfhound Press, ISBN0-86327-928-7, pp198, EU34.99) ________________________________________________________ Vintage Nell: The McCafferty Reader – ed. Elgy Gillespie Nell McCafferty has been airing her often strongly-held views in the columns of Ireland's newspapers for more than three decades and this collection spans a range of topics from feminism to Northern politics, from the courts to the streets of Sarajevo. And through them all shines the passion and humour of the Derry-born journalist. Nell was in at the start of the Civil Rights movement of the late 1960s, she lived through the changing relationship with the British Army in the North after the introduction of internment and she was in Derry on Bloody Sunday, after which the residents of the Bogside "walked and talked in circles". And on all of these occasions Nell had the channel of her newspaper columns to express her anger at the army, at politicians North, South and in Britain, and to bring to her readers some idea of what it was like to be living in Belfast or Derry in the early '70s. The Northern troubles weren't, however, her only focus: Nell will perhaps be best remembered for her series "In the Eyes of the Law", an Irish Times column which dealt with the cases held in Dublin District Court. Here her social conscience was exercised as she saw the already downtrodden being further repressed. She sums up her ten years' observation thus: "The parent who steals for food for the children is praised in parable and convicted in the court; the alcoholic who needs treatment is punished; the beggar who needs money is jailed. The person who goes to jail again and again and is not rehabilitated is sent back to the jail again and again and again". Nell McCafferty is also closely associated with feminist issues, from her part in the infamous "contraceptive train" of the 1960s to her championship of Mary Robinson's candidature for the presidency. The cases of Ann Lovett and Joanne Hayes, of Pope John Paul's pronouncement in Limerick on the place of women, all catch her attention and provide fodder for her pen. It has to be emphasised, however, that much of Nell's passionate condemnation is tempered with humour, that peculiarly Northern humour which is simultaneously sharp and dark. Her description of a court case involving a group of Hare Krishna followers takes the judge's remarks to their logical conclusion in an article which ends with her pious determination not to throw into the Liffey a shabbily dressed blind man playing a flute. At times acerbic, bitter, triumphant and angry, Nell's gentlest column is the last, simply entitled "Lily". In it she chronicles the gradual decline and death of her mother, while at the same time describing the concurrent publication of her autobiography which revealed the fact of her lesbianism. She seems finally at peace because, although she and her mother had never discussed the issue, she is able to say that, "the book and its aftermath came out in my mother's lifetime". This collection is, indeed, Vintage Nell, intelligently edited by her friend and former colleague Elgy Gillespie. It will rekindle in the mind of the reader the highs and lows of Irish life over the past thirty-five years from the point of view of one who, in the words of Margaret Mac Curtain in the foreword to this collection, "is unequalled in the extraordinary breadth and fearless candour she has brought to bear on controversial subjects". (Lilliput Press, ISBN 1-84351-068-5, pp256, EU12.99) _____________________________________________ Wordgloss: A Cultural Lexicon - Jim O'Donnell Did you ever hear a word or phrase you recognised but didn't quite understand, and were too embarrassed to query? Jim O'Donnell believes this is a common occurrence, that we have to contend with "a niagara of words and concepts flowing from a wide range of disciplines". To help us in our understanding, and to compensate in some small way for the decline of Latin and Greek in our present education system, he has set out an alphabetical list of words which he both explains and puts into context. This is an extended edition of a work first published fifteen years ago. The foreword by John Banville also mourns the lessening of knowledge of the classical languages and applauds the fact that the author "has set out to recuperate for us something of the range of classical reference that our education no longer gives us". And the explanatory material for each new word or phrase resembles the ripples spreading out from a stone thrown into a pond; one explanation uses a word which requires a further explanation, though we are spared the danger of becoming sidetracked by the definition of the primary word being set apart in the margin. For example, the word Arcadian is defined as "of a simple, rustic, fun-loving character", but the explanation is expanded to include the Latin words 'pastor' and 'exemplum', the Greek words 'eidyllion' and 'syrinx', the death of the god Pan, a detailed explanation of the word metamorphosis, and two 20th century stories, "The Wind in the Willows" and "The Crock of Gold". Not all entries are quite as comprehensive; the entry for the word 'malapropism' refers only to Sheridan's "The Rivals" and Sean O'Casey's "The whole world's in a state of chassis", but many of the chosen words lead onto other roads and byroads which make this a rare example, a reference book which can be read from cover to cover. Jim O'Donnell's claim in his preface, that "Almost every difficult word contained in the text is explained in the text", is well substantiated, and a particularly detailed index ensures ease of access to this treasury of language. (Lilliput Press, ISBN 1-843351-073-1, pp322, EU20.00) ________________________________________________ Claddagh: The Tale of the Ring – Patricia McAdoo Illustrated by James Newell Patricia McAdoo has based her story on that of goldsmith Richard Joyce who flourished as a craftsman of the Claddagh Ring in the 17th century. Legend has it that as a young boy before the mast he was taken captive by Algerian pirates and sold into slavery, where he came under the influence of a master goldsmith. On his release and return to Galway after many years Joyce began the tradition of the Claddagh ring. This tale for children is firmly based in Galway and the Claddagh, a Claddagh where everything depended on the fishing and where death by drowning was a constant danger. The young Richard Joyce's seafaring career, his subsequent life in Algiers and his decision to return to his home on being freed are told to great effect, the narrative enhanced by James Newell's vibrant and atmospheric illustrations. The male characters, Richard's father, his grandfather, the seaman Pedro and Abdul the goldsmith, are particularly well drawn and the author has managed to convey the feelings of Richard himself. The Claddagh ring has become a universally recognisable symbol of love, loyalty and friendship and this is an entertaining and timely description of its possible origins. (Galway Online, ISBN 0-9551652-0-2, pp48, EU9.95) __________________________________________ Francis Bacon's Studio – Margarita Cappock In a not quite unprecedented venture, Irish-born artist Francis Bacon's entire London studio was recorded, dismantled, shipped to Ireland and re-assembled in Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane. Margarita Cappock has since then undertaken research into the seven and a half thousand items found in the South Kensington studio and, using them as a guide, has examined the different influences on Bacon's work, painstakingly finding links between the objects – photographs, magazine articles, books and scraps of paper – and Bacon's work. Beautifully illustrated with the artist's works and with the relevant items, the book traces the major influences under the six categories of photographs, illustrated publications, drawings, handwritten notes, artist's materials and destroyed canvases. This is an admirably detailed examination, an unravelling of the puzzle that was Francis Bacon's studio which reveals his life and work and which will add depth to our knowledge of the artist. For some readers it will be a valuable first introduction to one of the most significant artists of the post-war period. (Merrell, ISBN 1-85894-276-4, pp240, Stg35.00) __________________________________ Under Fragile Stone – Oisin McGann The second in The Archisan Tales (the first, The Harvest Tide Project, was reviewed here in September of last year) continues the saga of the two Myunan children, Lorkrin and Taya Archisan, who seem to be forever seeking out trouble but who somehow manage to help save the day in a series of astounding adventures. The creatures in McGann's book almost defy description, but the author manages to conjure up the most wonderful images; the Scout of the Seneschal he describes thus: "It was hairy, with at least a dozen legs, all sticking out at different angles from its body....the four sets of eyes surrounded the four mouths, each pale, bulging orb a different size, each with a pale cornea and an X-shaped pupil....it appeared to have no top or bottom. It could stand up just as easily on what was now its back; it could roll sideways and never fail to have a least four feet on the ground". The world of Lorkrin and Taya seems to be populated by a series of weird and wonderful creatures, but the various tribes bear an intriguing resemblance to recognisable ethnic groups, particularly the Reisenicks. Once again the author has managed to write on two levels, with an abundance of adventure and a child's view of the adult world but also incorporating humour that will appeal to the older reader. There is an underlying lesson that one must respect both man and nature and good eventually prevails, though not without a sacrifice. Earthquakes, ground that behaves like the sea and swallows people and vehicles, and an amazing array of terrifying creatures all combine to provide an exciting and satisfying story. (O'Brien Press, ISBN 0-86278-835-8, pp383, EU7.95) ______________________________________ Life on a Famine Ship – Duncan Crosbie This is a very elaborate book for children which sets out in diary form the experiences of a young boy from the time the Famine struck in 1840s Ireland to his family's settling in New York; the story finishes with an updated diary entry by a now adult Michael. Taking as its starting point April 1846, the diary introduces the nine-year-old Michael O'Connor and his family. Michael's diary entries are augmented by explanatory paragraphs, many of which are incorporated into pictures which open out to reveal further illustrations. The centrepiece of the book is a pop-up version of the famine ship the Dunbrody, which is now on display in New Ross, Co. Wexford, and there is also a somewhat disturbing pop-up picture showing the rigours of life on board the vessel. The Dunbrody is also pictured on the front of the book, which is attractively designed to resemble an authentic journal. (Gill & Macmillan, ISBN 0-7171-3960-3, pp25, EU14.99) __________________________________________________ Rachel's Favourite Food for Friends – Rachel Allen This very comprehensive cookery book is an accompaniment to the television programme of the same name. A member of the Ballymaloe family of Co. Cork, Rachel teaches at the cookery school there and this book reflects her wide experience. Each set of recipes is built around a particular occasion, from major events such as Christmas Dinner or a formal dinner party to more relaxed meals; the sections on barbeque food and curry recipes fit into this category. The author begins by giving a number of her own special tips, on seasonings and spices, on oils and on eating food in season, a topic that is being increasingly addressed by celebrity cooks. I found the book to be a little short on photographs, which are always so helpful to the novice, and the black and white photographs hardly do justice to the gooseberries, pasta or chocolate depicted. (Gill & Macmillan, ISBN 0-7171-3999-9, pp224, EU19.99) _________________________________________________________________ Feis na nGleann – A Century of Gaelic Culture in the Antrim Glens - Eamon Phoenix, Padraic O Cleireachain, Eileen McAuley and Nuala McSparran The first Feis na nGleann took place in Co. Antrim in 1904, and this account of its history and development has been published to mark the centenary last year. A number of contributors have provided chapters on their own specialised areas, some anecdotal and others more formally constructed. Stephanie Millar tells of Sir Roger Casement's connection with the event; Eamon Phoenix, Padraic O Cleireachain and Eileen McAuley have a lengthy chapter on the place of the Irish language in the Glens of Antrim and the concerted efforts to revive it over the years; and also included is a firsthand account of the 1904 Feis taken from the memoirs of Margaret E. Dobbs, which were written for the Golden Jubilee of the event in 1954. Eileen McAuley, meanwhile, gives details of those involved in the founding of Feis na nGleann and the early committee members, one for each of the nine glens, with Roger Casement representing Glenshesk. What brings the book to life, however, are the evocative photographs dating from the earliest days of the event and proceeding through the century to the Feis na nGleann Committee of 2004 at the centenary dinner. (Stair Uladh, Ulster Historical Foundation, ISBN 1-903688-49-3, pp192, Stg8.00) ________________________________ Rambling Rector – Norman Ruddock Now retired, Norman Ruddock has taken the name of a rose as his title, a name which also symbolises the many different paths that life has taken him since his birth in Co. Carlow in 1935. Both a minister in the Church of Ireland and a teacher, Ruddock's career saw him in Fethard-on-Sea at the height of the boycott of the education of two Catholic children, and working in the Diocese of Ferns at the time of Bishop Comiskey's resignation. Other postings included Belfast, Meath, Virginia in the US and a journey round Ireland with three other clergymen talking on reconciliation. The more I read this book the greater my respect for clergymen's wives became – they appear to have much in common with army wives in that they never seem to have time to settle in one place for very long. Ruddock chronicles both the highs and the lows of his career; his time as a minister seems to have been marked by a number of extremely generous benefactors but he has also had to encounter two separate bouts of cancer. As he faces into retirement he ponders finally on the symbolism of the rose and speaks of a white rambler which he has taken with him from place to place. Perhaps stating what he hopes has been his life's work he says, "Wherever it was planted it spread and brought new life". (Columba Press, ISBN 1-85607-511-7, pp176, EU9.99) ___________________________________ Out of Your Tree – Dominic Lee AMPA The idea for this collection of photographs arose from a project devised by Dominic Lee to use his neighbours in Stillorgan as subjects for a window display for his studio. The idea snowballed and eventually someone suggested he produce a book of photographs. The premise of each of the photographs is to depict a hobby far removed from the profession of each subject. Some of those chosen are familiar faces while others are from ordinary walks of life. Apart from the high quality of the photographs themselves, it is interesting to see the hobbies chosen by some of Ireland's better-known figures. The opening study is of golfer Padraig Harrington playing space invaders in his private games room while, rather unsurprisingly, Nick Leeson is pictured playing internet poker. A photograph of Sharon Corr has the accompanying description "Sharon Corr, Musician and cruciverbalist", luckily clarified by the fact that she is engaged in doing a crossword puzzle. Twink's hobby is sugar crafting, Diarmuid Gavin prefers to swim in the sea, and Stanislaus Kennedy (Sister Stan) has a penchant for fly fishing. Fees were neither charged nor accepted for this book and all proceeds from its sale will benefit the Central Remedial Clinic in Dublin. (Priory Studios, ISBN 0-9524931-4-4, EU35.00) ________________________________ Broken Rails – Brian Mac Aongusa What at first seems an unusual choice of topic for a book is, in fact, a fascinating look at the many and varied reasons for railway mishaps and disasters over the last one hundred and fifty years in Ireland. Some of the more spectacular crashes, though not always those which caused great loss of life, will be familiar to many; the photograph of the engine which crashed through the buffers at Harcourt Street in 1900 and ended up overhanging Hatch Street will be familiar to many. In fact the many photographs form a vital part of the narrative, showing vividly the destruction caused by the derailments. Among the greatest disasters were those of the Armagh excursion train in 1889 in which eighty-eight people lost their lives, and the Buttevant crash of 1980 which claimed the lives of eighteen. The author elaborates on each account with details of the possible and probable causes, many of which involved defective track or inefficient signalling systems. Some, however, were caused by more bizarre circumstances; the first recorded by Mac Aongusa involved the attempted elopement of a young couple near Portadown. Someone had switched the points and instead of escaping, the young couple found themselves in a train which had been rerouted into a siding, went through the buffers and ended up in a bog. At least one other accident was believed to have been caused by a wayward goat and in 1927 a crash occurred between a steamroller and a train of the Cork & Muskerry Light Railway, where the track ran alongside the public road. The author points out that the number of accidents has declined greatly over the past fifty years, but I'm not sure this can't be partially put down to the fact that during the Civil War many derailments were caused by members of the anti-Treaty movement; latterly a number were also an integral part of the troubles in the North. What does emerge strongly from "Broken Rails" is the realisation of what the country has lost with the closing down of so much of its rail network. (Currach Press, ISBN 1-85607-925-2, pp256, EU19.99) _____________________________________________________ Irish Times Book of the Year 2005 – ed. Peter Murtagh For those who have spent the last year perusing the pages of the Irish Times, this book will jog the memory; for those who have not had that pleasure it will provide an overview of the issues concerning Ireland and the Irish during 2005. More accurately it should be the 2004-2005 year book, beginning as it does with a Mark Hennessy column from October of last year, but there is a great deal of sense in choosing this format; publication would be delayed until long after the Christmas season if the book were to be strictly confined to the calendar year. Much of the material concerns international events, since so much of great importance was happening including the war in Iraq, the death of the Pope, the re-election of George W. Bush and the tsunami of St Stephen's Day last year. Here also, however, are the columnists whose work tends to be in a lighter vein, among them Maeve Binchy, Roisin Ingle, Shane Hegarty and Michael Viney. An integral part of the volume are the many photographs, though their placing can still be a bit confusing; a photograph of a pair of ballroom dancers in Cork City Hall is close to a headline "The Death Machine", and a Breda O'Brien article entitled "Marriage Still the Best Place to Rear Children" is accompanied by a photograph of Brian O'Driscoll scoring a winning try at Lansdowne Road. However in this year's edition the editors seem to have had more success than last year in marrying photographs to text. (Gill & Macmillan, 0-7171-3935-2, pp260, EU26.99) ___________________________________ In the Bestsellers but not reviewed Of books mentioned in the Bestsellers list which we have not featured, "On The Beat" is Mary T. O'Connor's account of life as a garda; and "Rucks, Mauls and Gaelic Football" tells the story of the sporting career of rugby international Moss Keane. _____________________________________ Please see Classifieds on our website Announcements http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#Announcement Bed and Breakfast http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#Bed Education http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#Education Gifts for Irish Abroad: http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#Gifts Moving Services: http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#MovingServices Professional Services: http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#ProfessionalServices Property Sale/Rental/Exchange: http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#Property Travel Services: http://www.emigrant.ie/classifieds.htm#Travel ___________________________________________________________________ ____General News _________________________________________________ Minister announces Beckett centenary celebrations Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O'Donoghue has announced the formation of the Beckett Centenary Council and the Beckett Centenary Festival Committee to co-ordinate events within Ireland to celebrate the centenary of the writer's birth. Members of the Council will include Philip Furlong (Chair), Secretary General of the Dept. Arts, Sport and Tourism; Edward Beckett, nephew of the Nobel Laureate; Mary Cloake, Director of the Arts Council; Michael Colgan, Director of the Gate Theatre; Cathal Goan, Director General of RTE; and John Hegarty, Provost of Trinity College. Michael Colgan will chair the Festival Committee and its membership will include the Director of the National Library of Ireland, Aongus O hAonghusa; Alan Gilsenan, winner of two Jacobs Awards and European Film Award winner; representatives of other national cultural institutions and galleries; representatives of RTE Radio and Television; Trinity College; Dublin City Council; and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. __________________________________ Book celebrates Cork sportspeople Early in November a book celebrating the unique sporting achievement of Cork people was launched. "Giants of Cork Sport", by Dave Hannigan, includes profiles of such as Christy Ring, Sonia O'Sullivan, Jack Lynch and Roy Keane. In addition to personalities it also contains an account of the first every steeplechase from Buttevant to Doneraile. __________________________________ Sports Book of the Year announced Denis Walsh has been awarded the inaugural Boylesports Irish Sports Book of the Year for his book "Hurling – The Revolution Years", which examines the new era in hurling that began in the mid- 1990s. The other two books nominated were Christy O'Connor's "Last Man Standing" and "Tangled Up in Blue" by Dessie Farrell. _________________________ IMPAC long list announced The Impac Dublin Literary Award has released the longlist for the 2006 award, naming 132 books for the EU100,000 prize. Included among the six Irish works nominated were Cecilia Ahern's "PS I Love You" and Colm Toibin's "The Master". A shortlist of about ten authors will appear in April, and the prize will be awarded in June. __________________________________________ McClaverty archive presented to Linen Hall Sheila Campbell and Maura Cregan, the daughters of Belfast writer Michael McLaverty have presented his literary archive to the Linen Hall Library. Present at the ceremony was Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney whose lecture on McLaverty delivered last year was published as a limited edition of 250 copies to mark the occasion. _________________________ Most Promising Poet named The Ireland Chair of Poetry Trust has named Nick Laird, originally from Co. Tyrone, as the Most Promising Poet of 2005. Now based in London, Laird's first book of poetry, "To A Fault", was published this year. ____________________________________ Justice Flood launches tribunal book "Trials and Tribunalations", by actors Joe Taylor and Malcolm Douglas, was launched was Justice Feagus Flood earlier this month. The authors are better known as the actors who devised reconstructions of the Flood/Mahon and Moriarty tribunals for RTE radio. _____________________________ Launch of Pauline Bewick book November also saw the launch of "Seven Ages", a chronological journey through the life of artist Pauline Bewick. Beginning with her earliest sketch at the age of two and covering seven decades the book, published by Arlen House, features four hundred paintings, with an introductory essay by Alan Hayes. _______________________________________________________ Other newly published books not featured in the review: - "Ireland in the World: Further Reflections" – Garret FitzGerald (ISBN 1-905483-00-7) - "Sinn Fein 1905-2005" – Kevin Rafter (ISBN 0-7171-3992-1) - "Inspirations from Ireland" – J. Craig Bell (ISBN 1-4137-4361-7) - "A Perfect Moment" – Mary Hosty (ISBN 1-84223-206-1) - "A Social History of Women in Ireland 1870-1970" – Rosemary Cullen Owens (ISBN 0-7171-3681-7) - "Are We Losing the Young Church?" – Gerard Gallagher (ISBN 1-85607-499-4) - "A Horse Called El Dorado" – Kevin Kiely (ISBN 0-86278-907-9) - "Side-Angles" – Roger Hudson (ISBN 0-9551556-0-6) _________________________________________________________ BookView Ireland/Irish Emigrant Publications Editor: Pauline Ferrie a: Cathedral Building, Middle Street, Galway, Ireland t: +353 (0)91 569158 e: ferrie@emigrant.ie w: http://www.IrishEmigrant.com __________________________________________________________ To advertise, email Catherine at sales@emigrant.ie To help support this publication, see our voluntary subscription programme at http://www.emigrant.ie/gift.asp __________________________________________________________ To subscribe: email majordomo@dublin13.com with SUBSCRIBE IEB in the body of the message. To unsubscribe: email majordomo@dublin13.com with UNSUBSCRIBE IEB in the body of the message. To subscribe to any other Irish Emigrant Publication, see http://www.emigrant.ie/subscription.asp __________________________________________________________
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