The Irish Review, No.16 (Autumn/Winter 1994), 152pp.

Ed., Kevin Barry, Tom Dunne, Edna Longley, Caoimhin Mac Giolla Leith, Clare O Halloran and Brian Walker

CONTENTS

[Section:] Images

Aodan Mac Poilín, ‘"Spiritual Beyond the Ways of Men" - Images of the Gael’, pp.1-22. Charts the evolution of Irish culture, particularly the Irish language, from first century theorist, Strabo, Solinus in the third century, through the varying interpretations of the ‘Gaels’ found in the Lebor Gabhala and the Book of Genealogies and the influences of Richard Stanyhurst, Geoffrey Keating, William Bedell and Monck Mason; briefly treats the impact of the famine, the Young Irelanders and the Gaelic League on the Irish language and the efforts made by Douglas Hyde, George Moore and the Lutheran minister, Herder in reestablishing language in terms of literature, nationalism and religion in Irish society; includes numerous extracts from related documents, letters and literature.

James H. Murphy, ‘The Wild Geese’, pp.23-28. Denotes the two traditional interpretations of the term, ‘The Wild Geese’, and their value in providing an insight into mid-nineteenth century Irish history; alludes to the works of Seaghan O Cuinneagain, Matthew O’Conor, Thomas Davis and M.J. Barry as well as the more modern reading proffered in Joyce’s, Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man and George Moore’s, The Untilled Field.

Colin Graham, ‘"Liminal Spaces": Post-Colonial Theories and Irish Culture’, pp.29-43. Investigates the role of post-colonial criticism, as an ethical form of critique and as a narrative which celebrates nationalist ideals, in the context of Irish cultural history; refers to theories put forth by Frantz Fanon, Edward Said, Liam Kennedy and Roy Foster as well as articles published by Field Day, The Guardian and The Irish Review which deal with principles relating to colonisation and nationalism and the interdependent cultural relationship now existing between Britain and Ireland; also speculates on the postulations of the Subaltern Studies which relates the conjectures of Guha and Gramsci to Irish culture and society.

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John Breen, ‘The Empirical Eye: Edmund Spenser’s A View of The Present State of Ireland’, pp.44-52. Analyses the representational practices of England’s colonisation and cartography of Ireland; outlines the active retention of the Irish land in the name of the Queen by means of erasing Irish placenames and renaming them with English titles thus dispossessing Irish landlords of their rights of ownership, redrawing legal boundaries and breaking the authority of rebel leaders i.e. landlords, reforming customs, and the strategic placement of garrisons to allow the enforcement of English rule; submits the letters from surveyors such as Laurence Nowell, Robert Lythe, Francis Jobson and Lord Burghley as evidence of his theories.

Murdo MacDonald, ‘The Outlook Tower. Patrick Geddes in Context: Glossing Lewis Mumford in the light of John Hewitt’, pp.53-73. Delineates the world of Patrick Geddes, the thinker about communities, cities, histories and cultures, his commitment to visual thinking and his significance today as an ecological and cultural activist; illustrates his complicity with theorists such as Lewis Mumford and John Hewitt, citing from their works and reports, as well as his interest in the Celtic Revival involving the art work of Helen Hay and Phoebe Traquair; ascribes also to his own Ramsey Gardens, The Outlook Tower and the Valley Section Diagram.

James Anderson and Ian Shuttleworth, ‘Sectarian readings of sectarianism: Interpreting the Northern Ireland Census’, pp.74-93. Analyses the resulting data obtained from the 1991 census in Northern Ireland, taking the high rate of non-response in areas such as religion and politics, into consideration; condemns the sensationalistic representation of the conlusions put forward by the press which only served to feed national triumphalism and ultimately incite sectarianism; applies a balanced appraisal of the possible implications of the census, finding an increase in the Catholic populace and residential segregation, however stressing the lack of any significant support for either stance.

Kimberly S. Bohman, ‘Surfacing: An Interview with Medbh McGuckian’, pp.95-108; concluding with a poem by the author ‘The Spirit Dolls.’)

Isabelle Cartright, ‘An Interview with Dana Gioia’, pp.109-22.

Peter Denman, pp.123-26. Remonstrates with Patrick Ramsey’s critical piece on poetry in the 15th issue of the Irish Review, castigating his "inept … incoherent … ..inelegant … ..irrelevant" reviewing tactics and finding him scornful of poetry generally and anti-Southern in tone; also criticises the Irish Review for including not only this amateur article but also for selectivity when chosing only to represent Belfast poets.

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Peter McDonald, ‘Difficulties with Form’, pp.127-33, review of Ciaran Carson, First Language (Oldcaste: Gallery Press 1993); Clair Wills, Improprieties: Politics and Sexuality in Northern Irish Poetry (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1993). Asserts the originality and strangeness of First Language, appreciating the richness and complexity of Carson’s learning while noticing paticularly the power of transforming form and language in poems such as ‘Two to Tango’, ‘All Souls’ and ‘The Ballad of HMS Belfast’; Notes Wills concentration on three poets, Tom Paulin, Medbh McGuckian and Paul Muldoon, while remaining critical of her stunted narrative technique, her lack of sensitivity in analysing McGuckian’s poetry and her treatment of form as an abstract tool.

Sean Dunne, ‘Volcanic and Sedimentary’, pp.133-36, review of Michael Longley, Tuppenny Stung: Autobiographical Chapters (Belfast: Lagan Press 1994); Maurice Hayes, Sweet Kinlough Let Go Your Anchor (Belfast: Blackstaff Press 1994); Ken Bloomfield, Stormont In Crisis: A Memoir (Belfast: Blackstaff Press 1994). Regards Longley’s book as memorable in terms of variety, his vivid accounting of his boyhood in Belfast as well as his schooling and sectarianism; Commends Haye’s accomplished presentation of his childhood and his community surroundings; Believes Bloomfield’s book will significantly aid historians of the period as it records, in perhaps to much detail, political fact and measures while treating issues such as Paisleyism, the Civil Rights Movement and his final years working as a civil servant.

Des O’Rawe, ‘Responsibilities/Responses’, pp.136-37, review of Eavan Boland, In a Time of Violence (Manchester: Carcanet Press 1994); Padraic Fiacc. Eds. Gerald Dawe and Aodan Mac Poilin, Ruined Pages: Selected Poems (Belfast: Blackstaff Press 1994); Michael Foley, Insomnia in the Afternoon (Belfast: Blackstaff Press 1994); Tom Paulin, Walking a Line (London: Faber & Faber 1994). Remarks on Boland’s refusal to treat actual poverty and violence in her most recent publication, possibly related to the weight of responsibility in relaying these issue to the public while noting her assertive dealing with themes of gender, family and nature; Applauds Fiacc’s gutsy portrayal of violent times while studiously conveying "humane, rational truths"; Delights in Foley’s arresting imagery and amusing exploitation of current usage, although faulting his tendency toward heavy satire; Reports on the ongoing theme of sexuality and sexual guilt in Paulin’s work which views from a universal perspective and offers illuminating depictions of the repression suffered in public and private domains.

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John Breen, ‘A Country So Remote’, pp.141-44, review of Andrew Hadfield and John McVeagh eds., Strangers To That Land: British Perceptions of Ireland from the Reformation to the Famine (Gerrard’s Cross, Buckinghamshire: Colin Smythe 1994); Robert Welch, The Kilcolman Notebook (Dingle, Kerry: Brandon 1994). Welcomes this impressive anthology from McVeagh and Hadfield which includes illustrations of Ireland’s topography and ethnography as well as British representations of Ireland viewed from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries while also investigating British policy towards Ireland and offering eye-witness accounts and related political extracts; Finds Welch’s novel imaginative yet contradictory in context, deeming it homogeneous in its propagations of Ireland and England.

David Edwards, ‘Ulster Rebellions’, pp.144-47, review of Hiram Morgan, Tyrone’s Rebellion: The outbreak of the Nine Years War in Tudor Ireland (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan 1993); Brian Mac Cuarta SJ ed., Ulster 1691: Aspects of the Rising (Queens: Inst. of Irish Studies 1993). Welcomes both books as evidence of necessary change in academic history, however failing Morgan’s book for making the rendition unduly stressful, clumsy technique and overemphasising specific features; Esteems Mac Cuarta’s symposium, regarding it as an accessible read with a broad perspective, noting particularly papers by Dr. John MacCavitt on the underlying political features of the Ulster plantation and Peter Kilroy on siege mentality and Ulster Protestantism.

Peggy O’Brien, ‘Unbalanced Styles’, pp.148-52, review of Bernard MacLaverty, Walking the Dog and other Stories (Belfast: Blackstaff Press 1994); Eoin McNamee, Resurrection Man (London: Picador 1994); Deirdre Madden, Nothing is Black (London: Faber 1994). Reproaches MacLaverty’s "lacklustre" and alienating style while failing to provide any meaning in the life of his characters thereby rendering them lifeless; In contrast, O’Brien deems McNamee’s characters eloquent and envigorating though at times fantastic and overwritten; Commends Madden’s stable syntax and grammer, and her solid characterisation which is comprised of a controlled and balanced narrative technique, ultimately providing a tragic and realistic portrayal of family relationships.

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