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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, August 12, 2006
Read Ireland
Read Ireland Book News – Issue 349
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The Bog Body from Tumbeagh by Nora Bermingham and Maire Delaney
(Hardback; 40 Euro / 50 USD / 32 UK; 230 pages, with
black-and-white photos and illustrations throughout)
This book relates the story of the Tumbeagh body’s discovery and
ensuing archaeological and related investigations. It explores a
range of possibilities as to why and how this late medieval body
came to rest in a relatively quiet corner of north west Offaly.
The book contains a forensic examination of the remains and is
unique in that details of the excavation of bog bodies are not
numerous despite the numbers in which they have been found.
--------------------------------
The Museums of Ireland: A Celebration compiled and edited by the
Liffey Press
(Large Paperback; 20 Euro / 26 USD / 14 UK; 240 pages, with full
colour photos throughout)
This guidebook will provide detailed information on nearly 100
museums and galleries in Ireland, North and South. Each listing
will include information on the museum's history and background,
its most important features and collections, any highlights for
2006, a list of special programmes or educational courses, and
details on its location, opening hours, costs and other
practical information. The book will also include four to six
colour photos of key exhibits and the museum itself to accompany
the listing. "The Museums of Ireland" will include all the major
museums - the National Gallery of Ireland, The Hugh Lane
Gallery, the National Museums of Ireland, the Chester Beatty
Library, the Hunt Museum, and so on - as well as very
interesting smaller museums like the Sheelin Irish Lace Museum
in Fermanagh, the Foynes Flying Boat Museum in Co Limerick, the
Derryglad Folk Museum in Co Roscommon, and the Irish
Agricultural Museum in Co Wexford. In each case, the reader will
get a thorough understanding of the highlights of the museum and
be able to view specific exhibits in full colour. "The Museums
of Ireland" will be an invaluable guide to visitors interested
in Ireland's cultural heritage as well as museum goers of all
kinds.
------------------------------------
Ireland and the Ryder Cup by Paul Kelly
(Large Format Hardback; 25 Euro / 30 USD / 20 UK; 240 pages with
full colour photos throughout)
Beginning with Fred Daly, Ireland's first competitor who played
in 1947, and progressing to our most recent participants, Darren
Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, "Ireland and the
Ryder Cup" covers two generations of proud sporting achievement
by Irish professional golfers. The players recall historic
achievements and famous moments. Paul McGinley and Philip Walton
describe the experience of holing the winning putts in the Ryder
Cup. Christy O'Connor Jnr relives his famous two-iron approach
to the 18th green at the Belfry in 1989, while his uncle, the
great Christy O'Connor, remembers the good and the bad of
playing in ten successive Ryder Cups. This beautifully
illustrated book revisits these and other great Irish golfing
achievements in this unique competition.
------------------------------------
Stories from a Sacred Landscape: Croghan Hill to Clonmacnoise by
Caimin O’Brien
(Large Format Hardback; 40 Euro / 48 USD / 32 UK; 230 pages,
with full colour illustrations throughout)
Using each sacred place as a springboard, this book traces the
history of Christianity in Offaly. It begins with the stories of
the men and women who became the first saints of Ireland and
tells a story not only of a county, but of a nation. Offaly was
the place where the boundaries of four of Ireland's five ancient
provinces came together. Monasteries founded here expanded into
some of the largest foundations in Ireland, such as
Clonmacnoise. This region became known as the 'Flowering Garden
of Monasteries' because of their central location, the
monasteries in Offaly played a crucial political and economic
role in Irish society. Over time, the great economic success of
Offaly's monasteries brought them into conflict with their
spiritual mission. Conflicts between wealth and piety, patrons
and priests became part of the stories of these religious
foundations.
------------------------------------
Diarmait: King of Leinster by Nicholas Furlong
(Paperback; 15 Euro / 18 USD / 11 UK; 191 pages)
Diarmaid Mac Murchada was a king through misadventure. Owing to
a series of fatal family mishaps, he was elected to power in
1126 at sixteen. He ruled through a turbulent period and became
one of the most dominant figures in Irish history. Furlong
presents a thorough account of Diarmaid's life, and examines his
actions and decisions not only in the context of his questionable
personal traits and character, but also expanding the analysis to
reflect on his effect on the political turbulence of the time. At
one stage of his influential life, ousted as King of Leinster, he
invited King Henry II of England to assist him in regaining the
throne. The subsequent invasion marked the beginning of eight
centuries of English dominance. After his death, he was damned
as a traitor and a blackguard. He is recorded as having two
wives at the same time, raping an abbess, the abduction of
Dervorgilla, the wife of his bitter rival, and the mutilation
and killing of rivals. Furlong's "Diarmaid King of Leinster" is
a subtle, compassionate yet realistic examination of the man
behind the myth.
------------------------------------
St Patrick’s Breastplate by Alf McCreary
(Small Hardback; 10 Euro / 13 USD / 7 UK; 80 pages, full colour
throughout)
St. Patrick's Breastplate with its familiar words 'Christ behind
me, Christ before me' has been an expression of Christian faith
for many years, but what is the complete prayer, where did it
come from, and did St Patrick even write it? Here Alf McCreary
examines the history of the prayer and how in Victorian times,
Mrs. Alexander, the hymn-writer came to write the definitive
version. "St. Patrick's Breastplate" is beautifully illustrated
with Celtic script, attractive drawings and the complete words
of the prayer. The Celts believed that God was all around them
and the prayer was written as a lorica (a piece of ancient
armour) asking for God's protection in a harsh landscape. The
very closeness of the prayer to the old Celtic beliefs shows how
Patrick identified with the people he served. It is a beautiful
Celtic gift.
------------------------------------
Beat the Goatskin Till the Goat Cries: Notes from a Kerry
Village by Gabriel Fitzmaurice
(Paperback; 13 Euro / 17 USD / 10 UK; 191 pages)
In "Beat the Goatskin", Fitzmaurice's skilful storytelling and
optimistic spirit give a charming account of Ireland,
particularly rural Ireland with its customs, education, sport,
literature, music and song. Growing up Irish has something of a
fairy tale ring to it, but beware, this is not a gentle stroll
through leprechaun land. Fitzmaurice's eye is affectionate and
sympathetic, but it can be self-critical when the occasion
demands. Ireland, particularly rural Ireland, speaks in this
book - its writers and Wrenboys, its musicians and singers, its
footballers and teachers, and its corner boys. It gives voice to
pubs and parishes, their rogues, poets and playwrights.
Fitzmaurice understands the heart of Ireland's culture and
appreciates the way in which writers and singers like Bryan
MacMahon, John B. Keane, Brendan Kennelly, Michael Hartnett and
Con Greaney re-created their communities through their art.
-----------------------------------------
Ripe for the Picking: The Inside Story of the Northern Bank
Robbery by Chris Moore
(Paperback; 11 Euro / 14 USD / 8 UK; 230 pages)
Chris Moore shows how the Australian owners of the Northern Bank
systematically cut costs at the price of comprising security.
Simple but effective security routines, were discontinued.
Traditional practices aimed at frustrating thieves and robbers
were compromised in the interest of cutting costs. The net
effect was to leave the bank uniquely vulnerable to the sort of
heist that actually took place. Of course, nobody knew that the
pickings were going to be so rich. But the point that the book
stresses is that the bank was there for the taking. Chris Moore
also summarises the fall-out from, and consequences of, this
extraordinary bank raid.
--------------------------------------
The Men That God Made Mad by Derek Lundy
(Large Paperback; 16 Euro / 20 USD / 11 UK; 350 pages0
Derek Lundy, one of Canada's finest writers of non-fiction, was
born in Belfast. In this remarkable book, he uses the lives of
three of his ancestors as a prism through which to examine what
memory and the selective plundering of history has made of the
truth in Northern Ireland. In Ulster the name 'Lundy' is
synonymous with 'traitor'. Robert Lundy, the author's first
ancestral subject, was the Protestant governor of Londonderry in
1688, just before it came under siege by the Catholic Irish army
of James II. For reasons that remain ambiguous, Robert Lundy
ordered the city's capitulation. Crying 'No Surrender', hardline
Protestants prevented it and drove him away in disgrace, a
traitor to the cause. In Derek Lundy's view, however, Robert is
more memorable for his peace-seeking moderation than for the
treachery the standard history attributes to him. William Steel
Dickson's legacy is a little different. A Presbyterian minister
born in the mid-eighteenth century, he preached with famous
eloquence in favour of using whatever means necessary to resist
the tyranny of the English, including joining forces with the
Catholics in armed rebellion. Finally there is 'Billy' Lundy,
born in 1890, the antithesis of the ecumenical William, and the
embodiment of what the Ulster Protestants had become by the
beginning of World War I - a tribe united in their hostility to
Catholics and to the concept of a united Ireland. The lives of
Robert Lundy, William Steel Dickson and Billy Lundy encapsulate
many themes in the Ulster past. In telling their stories, Derek
Lundy lays bare the harsh and murderous mythologies of Northern
Ireland and gives us a revision of its history that seems
particularly relevant in today's world.
----------------------------------------
Leisure Cycling Near Dublin by Hugh Halpin
(Paperback; 10 Euro / 13 USD / 7 UK; 206 pages)
This book serves two practical purposes. The first is to
encourage you to cycle - a good thing in itself. The second is
to introduce you to the marvellous varieties of terrain and
cycling routes that can be easily accessed from Dublin. To add
spice to the mixture, Hugh Halpin includes snippets of history
and folklore in his descriptions and points out fascinating
sights worth seeing along the way. The author has chosen forty
routes which vary in terms of length and difficulty. The
shortest route, at 20 km, would take less than an hour for a fit
cyclist and would make an ideal family half-day, taken at
leisure. The longest route, at 95 km, is a challenging day's
cycling for a fully fit cyclist. Most of the routes are suitable
for families and the averagely fit. All are circular, so that you
can, if need be, drive to the start and return to your car.
Terrain is varied, with the Wicklow mountains to the south and -
at the northern extremity - the Cooley Peninsula, offering upland
routes. These contrast nicely with the flatlands of Kildare and
the low hills of Louth, Meath and Fingal. This is the ideal
guide for leisure cyclists in the greater Dublin region.
-----------------------------------------
Better Than Working: A Memoir by Patrick Skene Catling
(Trade Paperback; 15 Euro / 19 USD / 10 UK; 286 pages)
If Ian Fleming had made James Bond a journalist and not a spy -
he might have looked to Patrick Skene Catling as a template for
his hero. English born, educated then in the 'States and Canada,
Patrick became a navigator in the Royal Canadian Airforce during
World War II and was luckily assigned to ferrying bombers and
transports from the Bahamas across the South Atlantic, Africa
and the Middle East to India - sometimes with a case or two of
West Indian rum to cover the high cost of Cairo night life. One
marriage and two years later he became a journalist which his
father assured him was 'better than working'. Based at various
times in England and the United States, he travelled to Korea,
Guatemala, Greenland and Australia covering wars, revolutions
and press conferences that could give a man a terrible thirst.
At the same time his writing enabled him to plunge himself into
cultural milieu that fascinated him. He interviewed Louis
Armstrong and James Baldwin. He had a memorable encounter with
bombshell Jane Russell, lived with and very nearly married Peggy
Lee and was kissed by Billie Holiday. He became a close friend of
P.G. Wodehouse. Self-deprecation, charm and a wry sense of humour
draw a veil over tremendous achievements, serious discussion and
an extraordinary fund of anecdotes. Better Than Working is a
hymn to a vanished era in British and American journalism, as
well as being an utterly enjoyable book about a remarkable life.
---------------------------------------
Irish Coast to Coast Walk: Dublin to Bray Head by Paddy Dillon
(Paperback; 18 Euro / 23 USD / 12 UK; 215 pages with full colour
photos and maps throughout)
Walking through Ireland, from the Atlantic coast to Dublin,
through glorious mountain and river country, offers an
opportunity to discover the heart of the Emerald Isle. Linking
the Wicklow Way, South Leinster Way, Munster Way, Avondhy Way
and the Kerry Way, the Irish coast-to-coast walk joins Dublin in
the east with Bray Head in the southwest. Whether you intend to
split this route into sections and enjoy the walk over a period
of time, or walk it in one go, the alternative high-level routes
found along the way enable you to make the adventure as
challenging as you like. The guide provides a comprehensive
introduction to walking a long-distance route in Ireland and
details of accommodation along the way. It divides the 370-mile
route into 21 day stages, and the route for each stage is shown
on Irish OS maps.
------------------------------------
Buying a Home in Ireland by Joe Loredo
(Paperback; 15 Euro / 19 USD / 10 UK; 210 pages)
Essential reading for anyone planning to buy a home in Ireland
(2nd edition) - designed to guide you through the jungle and
make it a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Most importantly,
it is packed with vital information to help you avoid the sort
of disasters that can turn your dream home into a nightmare!
Written by Joe Laredo, an experienced non-fiction writer, and
illustrated by Jim Watson.
-------------------------------------------
Highlights from the Previous Issue:
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The Moves: An Illustrated History of Dance and Physical Theatre
in Ireland by Deirdre Mulrooney
(Large Paperback; 25 Euro / 30 USD / 20 UK; 292 pages, with
black-and-white photos throughout)
"Irish Moves" is a historical book with a difference. From
Ninette de Valois to Jean Butler and Tom Hickey, it showcases -
and in some cases salvages - the stories of Ireland's unsung
movers: actors, dancers, choreographers, playwrights, directors,
and the few academics who dare to go where no words have gone
before. Focussing on people who value what's in between the
words as much as the words themselves, it features stories of
the creative journeys taken by artists who have devoted their
lives to physical expression, despite the fact that their medium
was ignored, or even erased from memory. An in-depth introductory
essay points up how the zeitgeist finds expression in this new
history of dance and theatre in Ireland through the eyes of
practitioners, historians, and sociologists, and the as yet
unpublished "lost chapter" of "Modern Dance in Ireland" in the
1940's. The Abbey School of Ballet is also salvaged from
obscurity with a memoir and unpublished images from the 1920's,
'30's and '40's. "Irish Moves" not only provides a map of dance
and physical theatre in Ireland, but is also a meditation on our
complicated attitude to the body as a nation. It offers
surprising and sometimes disconcerting revelations about Irish
society. But this is no dry history: this is a beautiful book,
full of pictures and highly visual, in keeping with the usually
word-less subject matter. "Irish Moves" will be of interest to
the ever-increasing audience for dance and physical theatre; the
world-wide Riverdance audience (there are interviews with
Riverdancers Colin Dunne, Jean Butler, Brendan de Gallai, and
Moya Doherty on their aesthetic journeys); the Abbey Theatre
audience (as well as salvaging the Abbey School of Ballet from
obscurity, the book features key Abbey Theatre movers from the
1980's and 1990's such as Tom MacIntyre, Tom Hickey, and Conall
Morrison); and all readers interested in Irish social and
cultural history.
----------------------------------------
Ireland by Gustave de Beaumont
(Hardback; 34 Euro / 40 USD / 23 UK; 420 pages)
Paralleling his friend Alexis de Tocqueville's visit to America,
Gustave de Beaumont traveled through Ireland in the mid-1830s to
observe its people and society. In Ireland, he chronicles the
history of the Irish and offers up a national portrait on the
eve of the Great Famine. Published to acclaim in France, Ireland
remained in print there until 1914. The English edition,
translated by William Cooke Taylor and published in 1839, was
not reprinted.
In a devastating critique of British policy in Ireland, Beaumont
questioned why a government with such enlightened institutions
tolerated such oppression. He was scathing in his depiction of
the ruinous state of Ireland, noting the desperation of the
Catholics, the misery of repeated famines, the unfair landlord
system, and the faults of the aristocracy. It was not surprising
the Irish were seen as loafers, drunks, and brutes when they had
been reduced to living like beasts. Yet Beaumont held out hope
that British liberal reforms could heal Ireland's wounds.
This rediscovered masterpiece, in a single volume for the first
time, reproduces the nineteenth-century Taylor translation and
includes an introduction on Beaumont and his world. This volume
also presents Beaumont's impassioned preface to the 1863 French
edition in which he portrays the appalling effects of the Great
Famine.
A classic of nineteenth-century political and social commentary,
Beaumont's singular portrait offers the compelling immediacy of
an eyewitness to history.
---------------------------------------
Nature Guide to the Aran Islands by Con O’Rourke
(Trade Paperback; 15 Euro / 18 USD / 11 UK; 170 pages, with full
colour illustrations throughout)
This is a comprehensive account of the wildlife of the Aran
Islands in Galway Bay by an author intimately familiar with the
landscape. It summarizes the key facts from the writings on
Aran, illustrates them copiously with over a hundred colour
photographs, and condenses the whole into a single, handy source
for exploring the diverse and abundant wildlife of the islands.
The chapters are organized as follows: In the Beginning - The
Geology of Aran, Climate, Flora, Fauna, Seashore, and Farming in
Aran. "The Nature Guide to the Aran Islands" throws open a window
onto one of the environmental treasure troves of Europe's western
seaboard. The outcome of lifelong study and observation by an
expert in his field, it will become an invaluable and enduring
reference work for locals and tourists alike.
--------------------------------------
The Lighthouses of Ireland by Richard Taylor
(Trade Paperback; 15 Euro / 18 USD / 11 UK; 178 pages, with
black-and-white photos throughout)
Lighthouses can be romantic, mystical and tragic. Most people
know of the Fastnet and Loop Head, but may not have heard of
Rotten Island, Maidens or Straw Island or that there are 86
lighthouses on or off the coast of Ireland. The story behind
this remarkable system of lighting our coast is virtually
unknown. Richard Taylor was a lighthouse technician for 44
years, worked on all 86 lighthouses and is uniquely qualified to
write this personal history-cum-guide. Describing the lighthouses
and their history, he captures the unique way of life of the
lighthouse keepers and their families, largely ignored and, with
automation, no longer extant. Often waiting weeks at places like
Blacksod or Valentia for the weather to abate, Richard got to
know lighthouse keepers and their families intimately. The
result is a book embellished with anecdotes and hair-raising
tales of getting on to lighthouses, time spent there, often
weeks on end, and getting off. A notable inclusion is a strongly
worded letter dated 9 August, 1950 from the Principal Keeper, St
John's Lighthouse, Co. Down, to head office urging the dismissal
of one Brendan Behan from the position of painter.
-----------------------------------
The Celts by Daithi O Hogain
(Large Paperback; 15 Euro / 18 USD / 11 UK; 296 pages, with an
8-page black-and-white photo insert)
Lighthouses can be romantic, mystical and tragic. Most people
know of the Fastnet and Loop Head, but may not have heard of
Rotten Island, Maidens or Straw Island or that there are 86
lighthouses on or off the coast of Ireland. The story behind
this remarkable system of lighting our coast is virtually
unknown. Richard Taylor was a lighthouse technician for 44
years, worked on all 86 lighthouses and is uniquely qualified to
write this personal history-cum-guide. Describing the lighthouses
and their history, he captures the unique way of life of the
lighthouse keepers and their families, largely ignored and, with
automation, no longer extant. Often waiting weeks at places like
Blacksod or Valentia for the weather to abate, Richard got to
know lighthouse keepers and their families intimately. The
result is a book embellished with anecdotes and hair-raising
tales of getting on to lighthouses, time spent there, often
weeks on end, and getting off. A notable inclusion is a strongly
worded letter dated 9 August, 1950 from the Principal Keeper, St
John's Lighthouse, Co. Down, to head office urging the dismissal
of one Brendan Behan from the position of painter.
----------------------------------
Celtic Fortifications by Ian Ralston
(Trade Paperback; 30 Euro / 36 USD / 24 UK; 220 pages)
From northern Scotland to southern Iberia the enclosures around
hill- and promontory-forts are the most conspicuous component of
the Iron Age archaeological record. Ian Ralston looks at their
construction and reconstruction and at the architecture of
banks, walls, ramparts and ditches, gateways and ancillary
features. He examines the placing of these fortifications in the
landscape and their effectiveness as hill-fort defences in war.
He also considers these enclosures as signs and symbols. The
work is completed with a selective gazetteer.
-----------------------------------
The Great Calamity: Irish Famine 1845-1852 by Christine Kinealy
(Large Paperback; 18 Euro / 23 USD / 14 UK; 460 pages)
The Great Famine of 1845-52 was the most decisive event in the
history of modern Ireland. In a country of eight million people,
the Famine caused the death of approximately one million, while a
similar number were forced to emigrate. The Irish population fell
to just over four million by the beginning of the twentieth
century. Christine Kinealy's survey is long established as the
most complete, scholarly survey of the Great Famine yet
produced. The unravelling of fact from opinion, the
interpretation of motives behind the London governments'
responses, and the confrontation of stereotypes are at the heart
of this extensive work. "This Great Calamity" is an exceptional
book, now available for the first time in pocket format. 'This
book is mandatory reading for anyone who wishes to be informed
about Irish history' - "Irish Post". 'This is not the last word
on the Famine, but it is the best so far' - "Irish Independent".
--------------------------------------
The Burren Wall by Gordon D’Arcy
(Paperback; 12 Euro / 15 USD / 9 UK; 64 pages, with full colour
photos and illustrations throughout)
The Burren and the Aran Islands have some of the most
distinctive stone walls to be found anywhere. Visitors are
invariably intrigued while locals, having lived with them for
generations, pass little comment. The walls, in their use of
local stone and economical design, nevertheless stand as linear
monuments to local skill and hard won endeavour. This book deals
with their social history, from the earliest prehistoric examples
to the most modern, indicating how different styles may be
attributed to specific periods of construction. Celebrating the
aesthetic qualities of the Burren wall in photographs,
illustrations and quotations, this book also informs about
natural history, presenting the wall as a habitat for myriad
flora and fauna.
------------------------------------
Granuaile: Sea Queen of Ireland by Anne Chambers
(Paperback; 7 Euro / 10 USD / 5 UK; 114 pages)
Granuaile ruled on land and sea in the province of Connaught
over 400 years ago. A Pirate Queen and Irish Chieftain, she
became a legend. We first meet Granuaile or Grace O'Malley, a
young girl, on Ireland's west coast in a world of bards,
brehons, chieftains and gallowglasses, rebellion and intrigue,
very different to today's. Ireland is divided into 'kingdoms'
ruled by chieftains. Granuaile's father is chieftain of Umhall.
A strong chieftain, he protects and provides for his clan.
Living in a castle on the coast, Granuaile loves the sea and
wants to be like her father, to know all about sailing and
navigation, and to sail the clan's ships to Spain and Scotland
to trade. But she is a girl, her parents don't think it suitable
for her. Granuaile becomes a better sailor than any of her
father's crew and reluctantly they agree. And so the adventure
and legend of the Sea Queen begins. Following her adventures, we
sail on her galley to Spain where war with England affects
Granuaile and Ireland. We meet her husbands, Donal of the
Battles and Richard in Iron, and are on board her ship when her
youngest son is born and when North African pirates attack.
After many adventures and escapades we finally sail with
Granuaile to London for her famous meeting with Queen Elizabeth
1 and see how they got on. And we are with Granuaile in her
castle at Rockfleet where she dies in 1603. (for Teenagers)
--------------------------------------
The Magic of Pagan Ireland by Rob Vance
(Gift Hardback; 8 Euro / 11 USD / 6 UK; 60 pages with full
colour photos and illustrations throughout)
What makes a place magical? Visiting ancient sites can be
unsettling to the modern ego, awakening something primitive - a
vestige of ancient, primal life, awaiting ignition through
contact. And then it is a call, perhaps something like a love
affair - a promise, a glimpse of something different, an
intimation of ecstasy...and it may last. Visit the magical site
of Ireland and prepare to be moved.
----------------------------------
Celtic Spirituality by Rob Vance
(Gift Hardback; 8 Euro / 11 USD / 6 UK; 60 pages with full
colour photos and illustrations throughout)
Celtic Spirituality is many things: a time frame, a mode of
spiritual understanding, and perhaps a personal encounter in a
place of ancient wisdom. This book is about places in Ireland
that facilitate that encounter.
---------------------------------------
Uncertain Ireland: A Sociological Chronicle, 2003-4 edited by
Mary Corcoran and Michel Peillon
(Paperback; 30 Euro / 36 USD / 24 UK; 256 pages)
The Irish Sociological Chronicles present sociological accounts
of particular events and phenomena in the social world. The
contributors to this volume engage with a variety of happenings
and events that occurred during the years 2003 and 2004. A
number of the contributions are attuned to the anxieties that
have been recently generated about the provenance of the food we
eat, about the quality of daily life and about changing value
systems and their impact on the wider social fabric. Others
raise questions concerning the wholesale encouragement of
economic development that may threaten the integrity of an
ancient landscape and way of life, the folly of a new
consumerism that produces a waste mountain for which nobody
accepts responsibility and the love affair with motorways that
have singularly failed to regulate traffic flows. The demise of
Bewley's cafés, the citizenship referendum, the Club Anabel case
and the genesis of the Rossport Five campaign are just some of
the topical events chronicled in Uncertain Ireland. What unites
the accounts in this book is a curiosity about how to reconcile
Ireland's new found prosperity and economic self-confidence with
its accompanying and pervasive sense of uncertainty and
contingency. These qualities present challenges, in terms of
learning to manage and deal with risks, and opportunities as
Irish society adopts creative and innovative means of finding
its way in an Uncertain Ireland.
-----------------------------------------
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