Irish Emigrant Book Review, No. 22 (May 1997)

Selected Writings by Gerry Adams
- The different strands covered in “Selected Writings” give us a view of the man which is not usually evident in news bulletins and newspaper reports. Certainly there are a good number of chapters dealing with his political philosophy and the way in which his political awareness grew with the rise of the civil rights movement in the 60s. However, it is the more human side we encounter in stories taken from his collection, “Falls Memories”, such as the description of two young lads attempting to “bunk in” to the local cinema without paying. A sense of continuity is created with the inclusion of “Deja Vu”, the reminiscences of the Republican movement in the ’20s by an old man who finally triumphs over the council’s attempt to move him from his home. The selection ends with an essay on the collapse of the peace process and a transcript of the speech Gerry Adams planned to make at the plenary session of the all-party talks in June, 1996, a speech that was never delivered.

The Irish Charter School 1730-1830 by Kenneth Milne
- Kenneth Milne, gives a history of the development of schools under the auspices of The Incorporated Society in Dublin for Promoting English Protestant Schools in Ireland. During the course of the work he attempts to explain the thinking behind the schools and to reconcile the apparent cruelty meted out to the pupils with the avowedly Christian ideals of those who controlled them. The schools, the first of which was opened in Ardbraccan, Co Meath, in 1747, had the aim of training girls as domestic servants while boys were instructed in agriculture and gardening. Covering all aspects of their lives, from health to the calibre of the teachers and the methods of apprenticeship, the author pays particular attention to what he refers to as “The not-so-hidden curriculum” of promoting the Protestant religion. The schools were ultimately to fail for three main reasons: the children were separated from their families, they were educated out of their natural sphere, and there was a problem in directing their lives when their education was over. Anyone with an interest in either history or education will find this book very enjoyable.

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The World of Colmcille by Mairead Ashe Fitzgerald
- In this year of the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St Colmcille, with many celebrations planned in the places associated with the saint, “The World of Colmcille” is a timely publication. The book is illustrated with both black and white photographs of the geographical settings, and splendid drawings of Colmcille praying before the battle of Cul Dreimhne, and in his encounter with the Loch Ness Monster. The author concludes with a short history of Iona after the saint’s death.

A Field Guide to the Buildings of Ireland by Sean Rothery
divided up into roughly chronological sections but the chosen buildings are also set out in categories such as Friaries, Priories and Abbeys, Buildings of the Estate, and Castles and Fortifications. Amply illustrated with detailed drawings rather than photographs, the book includes a series of maps indicating the site of buildings featured, and a glossary of architectural terms. This will be a valuable book for those wishing to broaden their knowledge of the types of buildings constructed in Ireland from the earliest times.

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Ireland and Early Europe by Liam de Paor
“Ireland and Early Europe” is a selection of articles and lectures on topics such as the Book of Kells, Celtic women personified by Boadicea, the conversion of Britain through missionaries Colmcille and Augustine, and the art of enamelling.

On the Easter Proclamation and other Declarations by Liam de Paor
the author has undertaken the study of the proclamation as a literary form, with emphasis on the Irish context in “On the Easter Proclamation and other Declarations”. Each phrase of the 1916 Proclamation is examined in detail in relation to the attitudes of the day and the historic events which helped shape it.

Around and About the Custom House by Jane Meredith
Jane Meredith tells the story of Gandon’s masterpiece from the laying of its foundation stone in August 1781. Broadening the canvas, the author includes chapters on the area surrounding the building, on Liffey bridges and on the great fire of May, 1921. What makes this book particularly pleasing however, is the variety of illustrations which include a series of 19th century paintings, a number of photographs, a 1950s cartoon from Dublin Opinion and the cover of a student magazine.

True North by Fred Johnston
- Fred Johnston’s latest collection, is dedicated to the memory of his father and a recurring theme is the searching for roots, for a sense of stability. Coming as he did from a mixed background, he
“...........................looked for a sense of order and found random selection.”
He dwells upon the “lost tribe born two-faced” who have no inheritance. The death of Johnston’s father is the subject of “Requiem” in which his passing is described as “absurdly unremarkable”. It is, however, a false calm as
“......... His dying passed unnoticed Until a lunatic whine pierced our lucky-bag Memories of him.”
Although many of the poems are rooted in the North, Johnston’s long residence in Galway is also represented by such poems as “Columbus in Galway” and “Shop Street, Winter Morning”.

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Help! I’m an Irish Innkeeper by Maureen Erde
- An Englishwoman with roots in Ireland, living in America, felt herself drawn back to the part of Kerry where she had spent some of her childhood, and “Help! I’m an Irish Innkeeper” is the result. Maureen Erde’s description of how she came to buy Barrow House, and the vagaries of Irish tradesmen hired to restore it to its former glory make for amusing reading, particularly the description of the hanging of a new gate. The fact that the 18th century house has a resident “presence” does not prove to be too much of a hindrance to the business, either. There is, though, a darker side to the narrative with the tragic story of the breakdown of her parents’ marriage. Ms Erde writes in a rather breathless fashion but is always entertaining.

The Way We Live Now by Maureen Gaffney
- Ireland’s best known psychologist Maureen Gaffney has collected her articles from the Irish Times into book form under the title “The Way We Live Now”. In the course of the book Ms Gaffney explores the problems associated with childhood and adolescence, relationships, women and men, and how we can be instrumental in our own development. Each subject is dealt with in an easily assimilated way and suggestions are made as to how to deal with problems that may arise.

Standing At The Crossroad by Phil O’Keeffe
Phil O’Keeffe was at the crossroads of life between education and the world of work and describes evocatively the Dublin of the 1950s when working girls still wore gloves with their outfits and jeans had to be hidden from parents’ sight. I was particularly struck by the ease with which the author changed jobs, by the importance that religion had in the day-to-day living of that era, and the description of a visit to Rome in Holy Year.

Bless ’Em All - The Lanes of Cork by Eibhlis de Barra
dealing with life among the working class people of Cork during the war years and after. I think it doesn’t succeed quite as well, perhaps due to the diversity of subjects covered, but some of the anecdotes are gems, like the one about the child embarking on an outing to Youghal who dropped her currant bun and pulled the communication cord in order to retrieve it.

Persecuting Zeal - A Portrait of Ian Paisley by Dennis Cooke
With a comprehensive account of the development of the Irish Presbyterian church in general, and Ian Paisley’s religious and political affiliations in particular, this is a well-researched volume which greatly adds to any understanding of this most high-profile of churchmen.

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