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Irish Emigrant Book Review, No.53 (Dec 1999)
Sleight of hand by Elizabeth
Wassell
- Set entirely in New York, and imbued with the substance abuse culture
of the 1980s, “Sleight of Hand” brings together two people, each recovering
from an unhappy home situation and each feeling that at last they have found
someone in whom to trust. Claire, with an ailing father and dependent mother,
goes to work for the artist Simon Brady, son of a prostitute and with a
failed marriage behind him. Despite Claire’s misgivings given Simon’s reputation
with women, they are drawn to each other. In the course of the developing
relationship between the two, Claire unknowingly becomes embroiled in an
ostensibly harmless case of art fraud, whose aim is the exposure of hypocrisy
rather than financial gain, but a loose tongue leads her to say too much
to a friend who has some questionable acquaintances. This is just one of
the negative acts which seem to be fuelled by either cocaine or alcohol,
of which there appears to be an endless supply in the world they inhabit.
When the scheme leads to murder, and Claire realises Simon’s involvement,
she is aghast and refuses to listen to any explanation. It is only after
talking to a priest that she feels able to begin the long journey to reconciliation.
In the opening chapters Claire is presented as an apparently naive character,
while Simon is the archetypal womanising artist. During the course of the
narrative it becomes apparent that neither portrait is completely accurate
and the development of their relationship, combined with the unravelling
of the murder, makes this story a curious mixture of “whodunnit” and psychological
exploration.
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Worse Could Have Happened by
Andrew D. Forrest
- Mr Forrest definitely set aside his rose-coloured spectacles before embarking
on this record of a childhood spent in Co. Cork between the years 1922 and
1937. Separated from his father and siblings after the death of his mother,
the young Andrew was brought up by his grandfather, uncles and aunt until
it was time for him to return home to attend the local school. From this
point real life impinged on his consciousness, the sometime brutality of
the schoolmaster, the different visitors to the school and the terrors of
the Bishop’s visit for Confirmation. Intermingled with the harshness, however,
the author recounts the perennial joys of boyhood. These included taking
fish from the river illegally, playing with the melting tar, and devising
a raft from a couple of old tar barrels.
The world of work beckoned soon enough and the young Andrew graduated to
driving a donkey and cart to the creamery, and from here his book takes
on a more political air, with trenchant criticism of De Valera and his Economic
War, of the attempts to force the Irish language on unwilling students,
horrifying tales of skinning calves, and an account of life as a member
of Duffy’s Blueshirts. Despite these serious concerns, Forrest manages to
be highly amusing, for example in his story of how a love of the circus
led to Paddy Boyo being found half naked in the turnip field. His gift of
self-mockery is amply illustrated in the saga of the Franco brigade, an
abortive attempt first to round up five other volunteers to fight for Franco
in Spain, and then the debacle of the non-appearance of the boat that was
to take them. However something of the nature of the man comes through in
his determination to get himself and his companion back from Passage East
in Co. Waterford to their homes in Banteer within eight hours, a feat he
accomplished through a combination of guile and luck. “Worse Could Have
Happened” is not a nostalgic look back to better times, but an honest account
of one man’s boyhood and youth.
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Suffer the Little Children by
Mary Raftery and Eoin O’Sullivan
- This book, which is largely based on the RTE television programme “States
of Fear”, has produced almost as much controversy as did the three-part
programme on its initial showing. Testimony from children claiming to
have been physically and/or sexually abused while in the care of state-run
institutions provoked reaction from those whose experiences in the same
institutions had been totally positive. Much was also made of the contribution
of religious to the education of generations of Irish children. It would
appear, from all the evidence, that there was a small group of nuns, brothers
and priests who were totally unfit to be given the responsibility of childcare,
and a much larger group who did their best to give the children a home.
What exacerbated the problem was that the harshest, most severe guardians
were often in positions of authority and their subordinates were too frightened
themselves to do anything about the abuse.
The authors of this book, one of whom produced the television programme,
have interspersed the personal testimony of abused children with an examination
of the State’s role in child care in the years up to the 1970s. It was
felt at the time that children would be better off in care if there were
any problems in the home, these included acute poverty, the death of a
parent or exposure to what was deemed to be immoral behaviour on the part
of a parent. Thus a family of seven children were taken from their widowed
mother and sent to separate institutions when the parish priest decided
that her liaison with a local man put the children in moral danger. Raftery
and O’Sullivan have included testimony from people who could look back
with some satisfaction at their years in care, usually because of the
kindness of a particular member of staff, but the overwhelming impression
left is of childhood passed in starvation, both physical and emotional.
There seems to have been a lack of power in all areas, with the government
seeming unwilling or unable to take on the religious orders, and there
is no doubt that there are many damaged adults as a result of their treatment.
This is a disturbing testimony of a time and a moral and ethical climate
in Ireland which is thankfully in the past but which has left a legacy
of anger, bitterness and sadness.
Belfast - A Century by Jonathan
Bardon
- The Belfast writer has put together a collection of more than 300 photographs
of the Northern city, spanning the years from 1900 to the dawn of the
Peace Agreement. Photographs of a horse-drawn barge on the Lagan, and
a view of ships in Belfast Lough in 1903 could almost date from fifty
years earlier, while others such as the boys fishing by Molly Ward’s,
the first lock from the sea on the Lagan Canal, are timeless. The book
gives a pictorial history of the city, featuring the industrial and political
unrest over the century as well as Belfast’s more famous landmarks like
Smithfield Market. A number of notable citizens are included, with a section
being devoted to entertainers such as James Young, Ruby Murray and Van
Morrison. Belfast has become familiar to so many over the last three decades
that this book will be of interest to a wide audience, though it will
be particularly appreciated by those who grew up in the city.
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After the Good Friday Agreement:
Analysing Political Change in Northern Ireland ed. Joseph Ruane and Jennifer
Todd
- This book consists of seven essays written by academics in Departments
of Politics, Sociology and Human Rights Law in various universities. In
essence, they look at the state of play in Northern Ireland as a result
of the Good Friday Agreement. They take various approaches, according
to their discipline, and try to assess the context in which the Agreement
was concluded and what the future might hold. The work was completed before
the recent breakthrough in the formation of the Executive so it is interesting
to see the reality compared to these forecasts. In fact, the authors were
hypothesising and guessing. No firm conclusions could be drawn and this
is exemplified in the final chapter when three different scenarios are
examined. The conclusion of this examination is reminiscent of the infamous
economist; “if, on the one hand..., but then on the other hand...”. There
is no conclusion and perhaps it is unfair to have expected one. The book
is obviously destined for an academic audience and not the general public.
Even within those confines, it does not add a great deal to our understanding.
The Yellow Brick Road by William
J. Bausch
- Author William Bausch has chosen the format of a well-loved tale as
“a painless way of arousing interest in and raising questions about the
spiritual journey”. Thus his stories are based on “The Wizard of Oz”,
but each represents a facet of our spiritual lives, be it guilt, the problem
of self-esteem or the importance of getting our priorities right. In The
Tin Man we have a contemplation of the ways in which our hearts can be
wounded in childhood, and the steps we can take to self-healing as adults;
Scarecrow’s failure to do his job efficiently is reflected in the chapter
on failure and guilt, in which the author includes a number of instances
of people failing to act according to their consciences and suffering
guilt for long after. Each chapter closes with a series of questions for
reflection and the author warns that the stories are not written for entertainment,
but to act as both invitation and provocation to undertake our own spiritual
journey.
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Ireland in the 1930’s by Joost
Augusteijn
- Compiled from a number of MA theses, this collection of papers gives
an overview of the experiences of people living in Ireland in the decade
following independence. Among subjects covered are De Valera’s scheme
for building agricultural labourers’ cottages, which is examined by journalist
Anne-Marie Walsh; Margaret O hOgartaigh, history tutor at St Patrick’s
in Drumcondra, writes on the work carried out on the elimination of TB
by Dr Dorothy Price, who encountered her first case while working at Kilbrittain
in Co. Cork; and the effect on the population of Pope Pius XI’s encyclical,
Quadregesimo Anno, is covered by Kieren Mullarkey, now a primary school
teacher.
Culture Vultures by Ian Knox
- Subtitled “Political Cartoons 1990-1999, this selection from political
cartoonist Ian Knox begins in 1993 and the cartoons are listed under a
number of topics including the Peace Process, Orangemen & Residents,
and Prisons and Paramilitaries. All the major players are featured, with
several cartoons drawn in tandem with similar incidents in the North’s
history, for example a drawing of Edward Carson reviewing his troops in
1920 is paralleled by David Trimble leading massed Orangemen at Garvaghy
in 1996. The final cartoon is a farewell to another great Northern cartoonist,
Rowel Friers.
The White Page by Joan McBreen
- Irish women poets of the 20th century was the subject chosen by Joan McBreen
for her MA thesis and from this arose this comprehensive anthology, featuring
more than 100 poets, in alphabetical order. One of the criteria for inclusion
is, in the words of the author, that the poets “...are Irish by birth, descent
or adoption, and they identify themselves or their work with Ireland”. Thus
we have Glenda Cimino, US-born but living in Ireland for almost 30 years,
and English-born Kate Thompson who now lives in Galway but was a member
of the North Clare Writers’ Workshop. Each poet is accorded a short biography
including published anthologies, and one sample poem. With works in Irish
and English, and one French translation, “The White Page” is a resource
for the lover of poetry as well as the student of 20th century literature.
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Ireland’s Lost Birds by George
D’Arcy
- Naturalist George D’Arcy introduces his topic with an examination of
the reasons for the loss of some of our birds, including the drainage
of wetlands, clearances of forests and changes in agricultural practice,
and makes a pleas for a reintroduction programme for all but the Great
Auk, which is sadly extinct. There are some surprising inclusions in Section
two, which lists those birds now missing from the Irish landscape. Among
these are the bittern, made famous by Francis Ledwidge’s poem in memory
of Thomas McDonagh, and the crane. Two of the most unusual were the Great
Auk and the Capercaillie, a large game bird, the bones of which were found
during the archaeological dig at Mount Sandel in Co. Derry and which is
believed to have survived in Ireland into Early Modern times. The third
section of this well-researched book deals with the future and considers
in some detail the likely fate of the corncrake, once so numerous and
now the subject of a concerted conservation programme. Complete with a
chapter on conservation and notes on birds which have come to live in
Ireland over the last few hundred years, this is both an interesting account
of our bird life and a handy reference book.
Rekindling a dying Heritage
by Evelyn Ruddy
- Every parish in Ireland could do with an Evelyn Ruddy to record the
place names, lifestyle and customs which are rapidly disappearing in the
modern age. While Evelyn takes a look at the archaeological remains in
the Inishowen townlands of Croragh, Bootagh, Ballyharry and Drumaville
the real value of her book is in recording life as it was in the forties
and fifties. “Rekindling a Dying Heritage” is liberally illustrated with
photographs from the 1920s to the 1950s. It also includes an extract from
a school roll book from 1929, the names of passengers from Moville parish
who departed from the port of Derry in Famine times, an Emigrant letter
and other interesting documents. While this book is a must for the descendants
of people from Bocan (Culdaff) Parish, it will appeal to anyone with Inishowen
connections or with an interest in the nature of life in Ireland in the
middle years of this century. IR6.95 To order contact: johnbreda@eircom.netCELTIC
THREADS ed. PADRAIGIN CLANCY- A collection of essays sets out to explore
the different strands that make up a Celtic world far different from that
invoked by the well-worn expression “Celtic Tiger”. The essay topics are
as varied as their authors, with Redemptorist John O’Riordain examining
the life and influence of Colm Cille, while the book’s editor, Padraigin
Clancy focuses on St Bridget. Dara Molloy, a priest of the Celtic rite
living on Inis Mor gives suggestions as to how landscape, music, dance
and story can be woven into creative worship, while internationally-known
singer Noirin ni Riain charts her musical and spiritual journey which
has been deeply rooted in the Celtic tradition.
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History of the Diocese of Derry
ed. H.A. Jefferies and C. Devlin
- The first of two diocesan histories published by Four Courts Press,
this takes as its starting point the monastic foundation of St Colmcille
and focuses on a number of pivotal years including the penal days and
the installation of the first Protestant Bishop of the diocese, George
Montgomery, in the 17th century. The workers in the diocese are represented
by Angela Boster’s chapter on the Mercy Order’s presence in the city,
while John Ledwidge records the Christian Brothers’ contribution. A number
of bishops are singled out for special attention, including Terence O’Kelly
(1629-1670), the first student at the Irish College in Rome to be ordained
for the Diocese of Derry. The extensive chapter on the last thirty years
is written by the former bishop, Edward Daly, who expresses the hope that
“having learned from that anguish, coming generations will never repeat
it”.
History of the Catholic Diocese
of Dublin ed. James Kelly and Daire Keogh
- A number of eminent historians have contributed to this comprehensive
account of the Dublin diocese from the earliest times when it is difficult
to give, with any certainty, the name of a bishop, and like its Derry
counterpart follows the history down to this century, concluding with
an account of John Charles McQuaid. Among the contributors, Ailbhe Mac
Shamhrain of Maynooth writes on the consolidation of the metropolitan
see of Dublin in the 12th century; UCD’s Michael McCarthy writes extensively
on the Pro-Cathedral, commissioned by Archbishop Troy and constructed
in 1816; Donal Kerr, Maynooth Professor of Ecclesiastical History, gives
an account of the work of Daniel Murray, the man he calls “Dublin’s forgotten
archbishop”, who did so much for the education of Dubliners in the early
years of the 19th century. The final chapter, by Deirdre McMahon of Mary
Immaculate College in Limerick, is devoted to Archbishop John McQuaid.
In acknowledging that Dr McQuaid lived through a period of great change,
she expresses the belief that “his achievements, and his failures, cannot
be understood without encompassing this context of change in the life
of his Church and his country”.
The Spirit of the City by Bernadette
Flanagan
- Bernadette Flanagan has interviewed a number of residents in the 1,000-year-old
district of Dublin’s inner city known as the Liberties. Though it is seen
as a place of declining religious life the interviews, with a cross-section
of the community, would seem to contradict this. Part 1 gives us the history
and sociology of the area before we meet the interviewees in Part 2. These
are people who have met much suffering in their lives through abuse, marital
breakdown, illness and drug addiction. For the most part they have managed
to retain a sense of spirituality even when they no longer interact with
the Church as an institution. It becomes apparent that their spirituality
is linked with their social circumstances, and attitudes to the Church vary
according to the age and the gender of those interviewed; a devotion to
Our Lady was particularly evident among the older respondents. The conclusion
drawn by the author is that, contrary to popular belief, there is no doubt
about “the distinct and vibrant nature of spirituality in the Liberties”.
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The Golfer’s Guide to World
History by Martyn Turner
- Ireland’s foremost cartoonist, Englishman Martyn Turner, has gathered
together 65 cartoons with a golfing theme which loosely follow the history
of the world from the creation of the universe caused by God “hitting
planets off his celestial driving range” to two cartoons featuring President
Bill Clinton is golfing pose. For those unfamiliar with Ireland there
are a number of explanatory notes included, while those unfamiliar with
golfing terms will sometimes have to guess at the meaning of the cartoons.
This is a good present idea, however, for your golfing relatives.
The Last Dreamers by P. J.
Daly
- This collection, which features both new and selected poems from previous
collections, is imbued with a sense of loss, loss through death and the
loss and loneliness of the priestly life. In “A Mhaire, A Mhuirnin”, Daly
vividly evokes the atmosphere of a house where a young mother has died,
the gathering of the neighbours and the bewilderment of the young husband
who asks:
“Why did you ask them in, Then leave me To make them welcome?”
In a lament for a friend who took his own life, the poet describes how
Bill “trekked a deep tormented darkness” in a world of love which could
not reach him. The isolation of the celibate life, in which priests “belong
out by the side of things”, is beautifully captured in “Housekeeper”,
in the relationship between priest and housekeeper,
“...as close to him As any woman is to any man”
but she is ultimately denied consolation, and
“...may not rant before his coffin Or dress in mourning clothes”.
The two themes become intertwined in feelings of helplessness to console
in the face of death, when the poet addresses God:
“Your people mutter bitterly against you; How can I carry them?”
There are, however, life-affirming poems included in this collection,
notably “Magnificat for Catherine” and “Ballyvoneir”. I particularly enjoyed
the poet’s celebration of the teaching orders in “Old Nuns” with its final
paean of praise:
“Gloriously they lit our lives.”
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Joy to the World ed. Francis
James and Miriam Hill
- To mark 2000 years of Christianity the authors have researched the celebration
of Christmas over that period, from its link with the winter solstice
celebrations of the pre-Christian era to Irish and American Christmases
in this century. Beginning with extracts from the Bible and the Koran,
the story of Christmas is traced through the first known commemorations
of the Nativity in the Western world, during the 5th century, to the mumming
plays, the boy bishops and the Lord of Misrule and so to the banning of
the feast altogether by the Puritans. The beginnings of the celebration
of Christmas as we know it are examined, and the final part of this interesting
study gives first-hand accounts of Christmases celebrated in the southern
part of the United States and in Ireland. Notable among these are the
members of a Louisiana fishing community who celebrated Christmas in March
of each year, when their busiest time was over, and Peig Sayers’ account
of a Christmas spent in service in Dingle.
Inis Meain Images by Henry
Cecil Watson
- In August 1919, Henry Cecil Watson travelled to the middle of the Aran
Islands and spent just ten days photographing the people and the landscape.
In this record of that visit we are treated to a series of remarkable
photographs, particularly remarkable in that they were taken with a box
camera, though the author’s son tells us it was probably the most expensive
camera to be found in Dublin at that time. The pictorial record is accompanied
by the author’s description of his visit to the island, the way of life
he observed and the people who befriended him. After this visit Henry
Cecil Watson took up the study of the Irish language.
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