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This site includes the postings from the Irish Aires email list. This includes a listing of Irish/Celtic events in the Houston area and other information that the Irish Aires radio program posts.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Read Ireland
Advert:
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SLURPING THROUGH EUROPE by Regis Robinson
Exotic, unusual soups and the old favourites from 40 countries,
all aimed at tickling the taste buds, are included in this,
user-friendly cookbook by retired chef and restaurateur Regis
Robinson. Beautifully illustrated with original colour line
drawings and photographs, it is published by Ashfield Press and
available at Read Ireland and bookshops nationwide, price E22.50.
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Read Ireland Book Reviews – Issue 335
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The Bloody Sunday Inquiry: The Families Speak Out edited by
Eamonn McCann
(Paperback; 16.00 Euro / 20.00 USD / 11.00 UK; 183 pages)
The Bloody Sunday Inquiry has been epic in its scale and
implications. This is the story of how it came about and of the
hopes and suspicions which surround it, told from a uniquely
personal point of view.
Twenty-one wounded survivors and relatives of the dead describe
the campaign which led to the establishment of the Inquiry under
Lord Saville. They reveal their bitterness at the 'whitewash' of
the first inquiry under Lord Chief Justice Widgery, and describe
the frustrations and elations of their long struggle to force the
British Government to launch a new search for the truth.
The relatives comment sharply on Saville’s performance, and on
the attitudes of British and Irish politicians, the media and an
array of celebrity lawyers. They reflect on whether soldiers and
leading politicians should now be prosecuted for murder, and
discuss whether the outcome of the Inquiry is likely to hinder
or enhance the peace process. Will the truth about Bloody Sunday
raise more ghosts than it sets to rest?
This is the story of the longest legal proceedings in British or
Irish history in the raw words of those most intimately involved.
What they have to say puts a new focus on the significance of
State atrocities in shaping perceptions of the past and
aspirations for the future in Ireland.
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Chaos at the Crossroads by Frank McDonald and James Nix
(Large Paperback with Endflaps; 25.00 Euro / 33.00 USD / 19.00
UK; 410 pages)
This book is a catalogue of the sloppy thinking, political
chicanery, bureaucratic incompetence and pandering to vested
interests that characterise so much of what is happening in
Ireland today! It charts how the country is being wrecked by
half-baked policies that fail, and are known to fail. Whether
it’s the urban-generated housing in rural areas, the relentless
sprawl of our cities, the madness of the motorway programme, the
scatter-gun approach to decentralisation, the contempt for our
heritage, or the failure to observe our international
obligations to combat climate change, the Government has made a
mess of it. Evidence that would underpin sensible decisions is
either blithely ignored or never gathered in the first place.
There is an alternative, but the lack of political leadership
has thwarted its adoption to date. It’s the idea of closely
knit cities, with Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford working
together to counterbalance Dublin. This book also puts forward
proposals on how to make urban life work better, how to get
around cities and travel between them. It gives a warning of
what is likely to happen if the current blasé
to-hell-with-the-next-generation approach is allowed to prevail:
chaos! (Also available in Hardback price at 40 Euro)
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Torn Water by John Lynch
(Hardback; 17.00 Euro / 21.00 USD / 13.00 UK; 265 pages)
Set in his native Northern Ireland, John Lynch's debut novel is
a lyrically told and exquisitely tender story of innocence and
loss. 'He remembers when he was very young standing by water!
How he had got there or where the pond was he couldn't remember,
but he can vaguely recall a larger hand on his and being led
through the high rooms of a large building, to a large garden,
where bees wove dozy patterns in the air. At the bottom of this
garden lay the large pond, and he remembers a face bending to
meet his and whispering that he would be back in a little while.
So he stood where he had been left, his small feet pointing at
the stonework of the pond's rim. He remembers a wind brewing in
the tops of the trees and tearing at the water of the pond for a
moment, before subsiding, his face blurring into focus like a TV
channel being tuned.' When James Lavery's father is blown to
bits by a bomb he intended to maim and kill others with, the boy
keeps him alive in his imagination as a superhero, escaping the
daily grind of school, his mother's drinking and his own acute
loneliness by inventing extraordinary adventures for them both.
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Easy Entertaining by Darina Allen
(Hardback; 30.00 Euro / 36.00 USD / 24.00 UK; 306 pages, with
full colour illustrations throughout)
Almost everybody would like to entertain more often - but it's
just too daunting. Planning an exciting, well-balanced menu
which won't require a week of preparation and three nervous
breakdowns is the first hurdle. Next there are the wines to
consider. And what about - flowers, lighting, table decorations?
In this much-needed book, cookery writer Darina Allen smoothes
away the stress of entertaining with over 250 recipes that cover
everything from three-course dinners to tapas and one-pot
suppers. Chapters include Starters, Finger Food, Brunch, Formal
Dinners, Family Desserts and Festive Meals and the recipes are
balanced so that you can prepare some dishes in advance and
include modern recipes from around the world as well as
vegetarian options. Be inspired by Darina's styling ideas for
decoration and place settings to help you create the perfect
atmosphere, whether it is a romantic dinner for two or a lively
evening with friends. Darina uses her own experience to show how
you can use sea shells as butter dishes, shot glasses for soup
and a sari as a tablecloth for an Indian feast. Or throw it over
your table lamp to soften your lighting. There are also extensive
menu planners to help you plan your event and practical advice on
wine and other drinks.
Darina covers everything from tapas to three-course dinners and
from canapés to casseroles in this bible of entertaining. She
includes chapters on Brunch, Prepare-ahead Meals, Picnics,
Romantic Dinners, Finger Food, Formal Dinners, Festive Meals and
many more as well as providing extensive menu planners and
practical advice on wine and other drinks to complement your
food. Style tips and ideas for table settings, flowers, lighting
and even party games will ensure your soirée looks as sensational
as it tastes. She also includes options for vegetarian and vegan
guests throughout the book.
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Under the Spotlight: Conversations with 17 Leading Irish
Journalists by Roger Greene
(Trade Paperback; 15.00 Euro / 18.00 USD / 9.00 UK; 217 pages)
"Under the Spotlight", by Newstalk 106's Media Matters programme
presenter Roger Greene, is a collection of 16 radio profiles of
leading figures from Irish media which reveal the personal and
professional motivations behind the people who bring news and
entertainment to the public. Among the people interviewed in the
book are Conor Brady, Fergal Keane, Lara Marlowe, Paddy
Prendiville, Gene Kerrigan, Kevin Myers, Joe Mulholland, Vincent
Browne, Hector O hEochagain and Tom Paulin. Each interviewee
discusses their childhoods and upbringing and reflects on the
journey that has brought them to their present position at the
top of their profession. They deal with the reasons they chose
the media, their career progress and the impact their chosen
profession has had on their private lives. For instance, Fergal
Keane describes his journalistic journey from Ireland to the BBC
and onward to the world's war zones. He speaks about his
upbringing with his alcoholic father and the subsequent break-up
of the family. He talks about the emotional, elevating and
terrifying experiences of being a war correspondent for the BBC
and reveals that he has now lost the courage to cover wars
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Ireland: Railways Past and Present by Michael Baker
(Trade Paperback; 27.00 Euro / 32.00 USD / 18.00 UK; 146 pages,
with black-and-white photos throughout)
Presents a past and present tour of Ireland's railway network,
which embraces not only the main lines around Belfast, Dublin
and Cork and developments in stock, services and
electrification, but also the remote narrow-gauge outposts of
the Far West, gone for ever.
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The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin by Christine Casey
(Hardback; 45.00 Euro / 55.00 USD / 30.00 UK; 756 pages, with
colour photos)
This book is a uniquely comprehensive guide to the buildings of
central Dublin, in the great tradition of the Pevsner series.
Churches, public buildings and streets are described for every
district, each full of new discoveries and lively detail.
Illustrations include numerous maps, plans and specially taken
colour photographs. The entire area within the canals is
covered, along with the Phoenix Park. The grand 18th-century
set-pieces - Custom House, Four Courts, Bank of Ireland - are
offset by a graceful Georgian cityscape, much of which remains
intact. The astonishingly rich and varied house interiors are
also treated in full, many for the first time. Civic and
commercial Victorian architecture features in strength, together
with the highs and lows of post-war building, which culminate in
some sensitive and resourceful buildings by a new generation of
Irish architects. Two fine Gothic cathedrals remain from the
medieval city, whose history is traced in a scholarly
introduction that runs down to the present day. This is the
third volume in the Buildings of Ireland series. For all who
share an interest in the fabric of Dublin - architect or
historian, tourist or armchair traveller.
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Ireland in the World: Further Reflections by Garret FitzGerald
(Hardback; 25.00 Euro / 30.00 USD / 20.00 UK; 255 pages)
Ireland in the World - Further Reflections is a collection of
essays, many of which have not previously appeared in print, on
Irish history and politics, contemporary Irish society and world
affairs by the former Taoiseach and respected columnist Garret
FitzGerald.
What strikes the reader most forcefully is the breadth of Dr
FitzGerald's interests, the range of his expertise and the
clarity with which he presents his arguments, which are
sometimes controversial and always compelling.
--------------------------------------
Fond Memory: Consoling Words from the Irish Tradition edited by
Ide Ni Laoghaire and Mary Webb
(Gift Hardback; 13.00 Euro / 16.00 USD / 9.00 UK; 180 pages)
For times of sorrow and remembrance or to be read at funerals.
In times of sorrow, grief or loss we often look to our poets and
songwriters, to our heritage and tradition for words of comfort,
hope and inspiration. We look too for those words that reflect
our sense of place, of belonging, words that sum up our deepest
feelings about a loved one. Here, for the first time, is a
collection specific to the Irish experience. Old and modern -
poetry, prayers, songs, phrases, blessings - fitting words to
express your heartfelt grief and to bring solace and healing.
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GAA: The Glory Years – Hurling and Football 1991-2005 by Ronnie
Bellew
(Hardback; 22.00 Euro / 26.00 USD / 17.00 UK; 276 pages with
full coloutr illustrations throughout)
During the past fifteen years, the GAA has gone through a
renaissance. Despite the rising popularity of other sports, it
has revolutionised itself to take its place centre stage in the
Irish sporting arena, enjoying a greater groundswell of support
than ever before. The developments have been astounding. The
emergence of Ulster football and the revival in the West. In
hurling, the men from Clare and Wexford and the domination of
D.J. Carey. The amazing development of Croke Park and the rise
in supporters' fanaticism. 'Jayo-mania' in 1995 heralding the
era of the GAA superstar. The strikes and revolts of the Cork
and Offaly hurlers and the emergence of player power. In "GAA:
The Glory Years", Ronnie Bellew tells the story of these
remarkable fifteen years - of the events, on and off the field,
the breakthroughs, the controversies and the personalities
behind a golden era that has seen the GAA reinvent itself to
become the hottest ticket in town. This is the story of how the
GAA got from there to here.
------------------------------------------
The IRB: The Irish Republican Brotherhood from the Land League
to Sinn Fein by Owen McGee
(Large Paperback; 30.00 Euro / 36.00 USD / 24.00 UK; 380 pages)
This book analyzes the ideology and organizational traditions of
the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), its role in Irish
politics and its place in Irish history. While the IRB has long
been associated with the insurrections of 1867 and 1916, Owen
McGee argues that it was never primarily an insurrectionary
conspiracy; rather it was a popular fraternal organization and
propagandistic body, committed to bringing about popular
politicization in Ireland along republican lines. Focusing
primarily on the new departures in Irish politics between the
land war of 1879 - 81 and the outbreak of the First World War,
this study identifies this period as being a critical phase in
the evolution of modern Irish republicanism, as well as being
the pivotal stage in the history of the IRB itself. It throws
fresh light on the social and political origins of the Irish
revolution of 1912 - 23, as well as the IRB's intended political
role during that eventful epoch. Prominent members included:
Michael Collins, James Stephens, Arthur Griffith, Bulkmer
Hobson, Eamonn Ceannt and Edward Daly (the latter two fought in
1916 and were executed as a result of their involvement).
-------------------------------------------
The Lemass Era: Politics and Society in the Ireland of Sean
Lemass edited by Brian Girvin and Gary Murphy
(Large Paperback; 25.00 Euro / 30.00 USD / 20.00 UK; 270 pages)
This new book focuses on the impact of Seán Lemass on Irish
politics and society between 1945 and 1973. It covers politics,
economic policy, emigration, foreign policy (including the
negotiations to join the EEC), cross-border co-operation with
Northern Ireland, the Church, education, film and television
policy.
The Lemass Era shows that Lemass was the pivotal figure in the
transition from the conservatism of de Valera's Ireland to the
more open, progressive and modern society that takes form during
the 1960s.
Lemass was a 1916 veteran, a founder member of Fianna Fáil and a
long serving Minister for Industry and Commerce, but this did not
prevent him from ruthlessly questioning the state of Ireland
after 1945. During the 1950s he sought to meet the challenge of
economic crisis while also attempting to open up discussion on a
moderate and realistic policy towards Northern Ireland. However,
it was only in 1959 that Lemass had the opportunity to implement
his new thinking. He became Taoiseach at the age of 59, but
showed a capacity for new thinking and hard work that would have
been impressive in a younger person.
If de Valera characterised the main features of the first half
of the twentieth century, then Lemass is the most formidable
influence over the second half: it is his vision that has
prevailed in the modernisation of Irish society and its economic
success since the 1960s.
---------------
Available Again:
---------------
Strumpet City by James Plunkett
(Paperback; 11.00 Euro / 14.00 USD / 8.00 UK; 550 pages)
The classic, powerful novel of life and hard times in Dublin
during the angry years leading up to World War I. A story
bursting with memorable characters caught up in the bitter
struggles of the age, driven by love and hate, pride and
devotion.
----------------------------------
Roman Ireland by Vittorio Di Martino
(Trade Paperback; 15.00 Euro / 18.00 USD / 11.00 UK 208 pages)
Imagine Ireland untouched by Roman influence when Britain was
part of the Roman Empire, a time when the distance was nothing
for sailors routinely navigating the entire Mediterranean. Yet,
the accepted view has been there was no Roman expedition to
Ireland. The Irish lived in Celtic purity with little outside
influence until St Patrick brought Christianity. Yet, many sites
have produced Roman objects indicating a Roman presence in
Ireland. "Roman Ireland" is a fresh reconsideration of Roman
influence in Ireland. It outlines the influence of Latin on the
Irish language, the Roman contribution to Irish art and the new
contacts trade opened between the Irish and Roman worlds. Roman
influence on social life, craftsmanship and farming is
disclosed. Finally, new insights are provided on
Christianisation as a vehicle of Romanisation in Ireland and the
likely occurrence of at least one Roman military invasion of
Ireland.
------------------------------------
For St. Patrick's Day !
---------------------
St Patrick of Ireland: A Biography by Philip Freeman
(Paperback; 12.00 Euro / 15.00 USD / 9.00 UK; 215 pages)
St Patrick did not drive the snakes out of Ireland (the island
had no snakes), nor did he engage in epic battles of
supernatural power with Irish druids. But the facts revealed in
this eminently readable biography are no less astonishing than
the myths that surround him. Born in Britain in the late fourth
century, Patrick was raised as a Roman citizen and a Christian
nobleman. Just before his sixteenth birthday, he was captured by
Irish pirates and enslaved. He spent six years tending sheep in
Ireland, escaped and returned home to his astonished parents.
Soon afterward, he announced that God wanted him to become a
priest and convert the Irish to Christianity. Patrick spent the
rest of his life in Ireland, leaving behind two remarkable
letters that reveal more about him than we know about almost any
contemporary figure. Philip Freeman brilliantly reconstructs
daily life in the British Isles during the last days of the
Roman Empire, putting Patrick's achievements in contact with the
beliefs of the day. The Patrick who emerges is even more
extraordinary than the patron saint of legend - a passionate,
courageous and very human figure who exerted an incalculable
impact on the course of Irish history.
---------------------------------------
A Little Book of St. Patrick edited by Don Mullen
(Paperback; 4.00 Euro / 5.00 USD / 3.00 UK)
Capturing in simple format the very essence of Saint Patrick,
the quotations gathered here provide a profound insight into his
thinking, offering the reader food for thought and substance for
prayerful reflection.
----------------------------------------
I Never Knew That About Ireland by Christopher Winn
(Hardback; 13.00 Euro / 16.00 USD / 10.00 UK; 306 pages)
Bestselling author Christopher Winn takes us on a fascinating
journey around Ireland, to discover the tales buried deep in the
country's history. Packed full of legends, firsts, birthplaces,
inventions and adventures, this book visits each of the four
provinces - Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connaught - and
unearths the hidden gems that each county in these provinces
holds. Discover where people and ideas were born, where dreams
were inspired and where the unforgettable figures of Ireland's
past now slumber. You'll be able to visit the holy mountain,
Croagh Patrick in Country Mayo, where St Patrick is said to have
driven all the snakes in Ireland into the sea. At Lismore Castle
in County Waterford you will uncover the bathroom dedicated to
Fred Astaire, whose sister Adele was the hugely popular
Chatelaine of Lismore in the 1930s and 40s. On the winter
solstice you can bathe in the sunlight that fills the burial
chamber at Newgrange, County Meath - the oldest solar
observatory in the world. This irresistible compendium of facts
and stories will give you a captivating insight into the people,
ideas and events that have shaped the individual identity of
every place you visit, and will have you exclaiming again and
again: 'Well, I never knew that!'
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Thank you for your continued support. It is vital for the
continuation of this service! I respectfully request that if you
are considering ordering any of these books that you
do so through Read Ireland. I very much appreciate your
patronage.
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books you do NOT want and LEAVE the books you DO WANT to order.
Alternatively, you can send an email to the order department at:
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Telephone and Facsimile number is: +353-1-853-2063.
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page listing ONLY the newest books added to or updated on the
website. This new feature page will itself be superseded at
least 3 times per month (last updated 10 March). Checking this
page on the Read Ireland website is an ideal way to keep abreast
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Please visit often! If I can be of any further assistance,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you very much for your continued support and custom.
Sincerely, Gregory Carr @ Read Ireland