Read Ireland Book Reviews, May 2000

The Beat: Life on the Streets by David Fine
This book is a fascinating and disturbing account of the lives of sixteen women and their struggle for survival in Dublin’s underworld. Haunted by the drug-related death of his lover Seema, herself a ‘working girl’, the author decided to confront his grief head-on. He journeyed into the heart of an invisible and hidden Ireland to find out what it means to be a prostitute. Working as a taxi driver, he got to know the women on the streets, unveiling every aspect of their harrowing lives. Their stories command attention and compassion on every page of this revealing book.

Monto: Madams, Murder and Black Coddle by Terry Fagan and the North Inner City Folklore Project
This book chronicles the history and reminiscences in a part of Dublin rich in the memories of its people. The Monto area, long thought of as simply a place of pimps and prostitutes, is shown here in a different light as those persons who experienced lift around Montgomery Street and its environs are brought to life through colourful anecdotes and humorous tales. Prostitution, however, gave the Monto its notoriety, and provides the background to many of the stories contained in the book. Monto attracted among its many visitors the Prince of Wales.

Seascapes & Angels by Dermot O’Neill
But for its honesty and insight, this book could seem like any other sailing book. It is the intimate detail of the author’s struggles that makes it an account of real-life adventure and profound emotional growth. Confronting the adult fears which threaten what remains of his youthful courage, the author sets out alone to sale the Atlantic from Arklow in Ireland to Barbados in the Caribbean. This is an inspiring book about a critical point in life showing what is possible when an individual is faced with extraordinary circumstances.

The Second Prison by Ronan Bennett
Hailed as a major debut on its first publication in 1991, this new edition confirms the author as one of the most important Irish writers of his generation. It is a novel of love, fear and suspicion which enthrals and entraps the reader as the hero Kane is entrapped in a web of conflicting loyalties and betrayal.

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Nora by Brenda Maddox
Reissued to correspond with the recently released film, this is an acclaimed biography of Nora Joyce and the enthralling love story of James Joyce and his extraordinary wife and muse. Left in his shadow by the literary world until his biography was first published in 1988 and revealed her as a strong, humorous and complex woman. Born Nora Barnacle in Galway, twenty-year-old Nora turned her back on her traditional upbringing when she left her job as a chambermaid to run off to the Continent with the then little-known writer. It was the beginning of a loyal, lifelong partnership which defied convention and took them to the Paris of the 1920s, where, with ‘Ulysses’, Joyce was hailed as the master of modernism. Joyce was besotted by funny, irreverent, earthy and sexually uninhibited Nora, who became the inspiration for Molly Bloom, among others, even though she had no interest in the printed word herself. She was as fiercely loyal to her husband as he was dependent on her, despite the difficult circumstances, family tragedies and subversive desires that all threatened to tear them apart. This is the story of their tempestuous and often heroic life together.

Killing Time by K.T. McCaffrey
This compelling and imaginative thriller centers around Jacqueline Miller and the murder of her husband, politician Alan McCall. There was a time when she seemed to have the world at her feet, but a horrific road accident and a broken engagement changed her life forever. Her affair had offered her hope of happiness; but suddenly that hope has been shattered. The fact that the ‘family man’ McCall was murdered in his mistress’s bed is bad news for the government too, and to avoid a scandal, an elaborate cover-up is set in motion. Meanwhile, his killer goes undetected and will strike again. Investigative journalist Emma Boylan knows that all is not as it seems and as she probes deeper and deeper, an ugly web of deceit is exposed. After a series of unexpected twists and turns and a bloody climax, Emma finally discovers the true identity of Alan McCall’s killer.

McKenzie’s Friend by Philip Davison
Harry Fielding has had enough. He’s had enough of his adopted city, with its crane-shadows, its coconuts drifting down the river; and he’s tired of his flat, which smells of gas and longing. Most of all, though, he’s finished with meeting civil servants in motorway cafeterias at two in the morning: he’s finished as an understrapper, finished with MI5. Determined to have a new life, Harry re-establishes contact with his promiscuous aunt and plans a fishing trip with his widowed father. But he hadn’t banked on an old friend reappearing. Alfie, the crooked politician, is in trouble, and Harry - who wants to leave everything behind - cannot abandon a friend.

The Dealer by Paul Kilduff
When the multi-billion-pound take-over of Provident Bank is sensationally announced at a West End press conference, life will never again be the same for many influential players in the City of London. A star equities dealer has just brought a million soaring Provident shares - and others wonder how he does it. A London Stock Exchange investigator begins his work. Shortly afterwards a Detective Inspector finds a bloated body in the mud of the River Thames and, unaware of the ultimate consequences, explores a complex web of inter-connected lives in his search for a ruthless killer. This is a slick and punchy thriller by a Dubliner and banking insider, action-packed and full of financial know-how.

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Everything in This Country Must by Colum McCann
Colum McCann is indisputably one of Ireland’s finest young writers, one of the new wave that has drawn its inspiration from international literature and from the experience of exile and emigration. In a very short time, his uniquely imaginative and muscular style has helped establish a new genre in Irish writing: a restless and lyrical interpretation of the world around him. In these first fictions since the publication of his acclaimed novel set in New York, ‘This Side of Brightness,’ he turns closer to home, to Ireland, and to its recent history. As before, his tender evocation of individuals, with all their flaws, their loves and weaknesses, marks him as a writer of the highest humanity. This is a book about Ireland and the Troubles: short, powerful and poetic, it stretches out to embrace the hunger in each man.

The Celtic Realms: The History and Culture of the Celtic Peoples from Pre-History to the Norman Invasion by Myles Dillon and Nora Chadwick
This masterly survey of the history and culture of the Celtic peoples covers the whole period from their prehistoric origins to the Northern invasion of Britain. The early part of the book is concerned with the narrative history of the period, beginning with the origins of the Celts and discussing the society and culture of the ancient Gaul. The Irish and British peoples are then treated separately in their historical development. The remainder of the book is concerned with a demonstration of the peculiar genius of the Celts, and the way in which this was manifested in religion, literature and the visual arts. Much of Celtic art is relatively unknown, but has a grandeur and mystic quality which are enthralling - the myths and legends being part of a great oral tradition which can only be compared to the epics of the Classical world. / The work is fully illustrated with 64 pages of photographs, which form an invaluable complement to the text and provide a striking evocation of the world of the Celts.

An Biobla Naofa
The bible in the Irish language, originally published in 1981 and finally available again.

The Deposition of Father McGreevy by Brian O’Doherty
In a London pub in the 1950s, edited William Maginn is intrigued by a mention of the strange - and reputedly shameful - demise of a remote mountain village in County Kerry, where he was born. Maginn returns to Kerry and uncovers an astonishing tale: both the account of the destruction of a place and the way of life which once preserved Ireland’s ancient traditions and the tragedy of an increasingly isolate village where all the women mysteriously die - leaving the priest, Father McGreevy, to cope with insoluble problems. As war rages through Europe, McGreevy struggles to preserve what remains of his parish, against the rough mountain elements and the grief and superstitions of his people, and the growing distrust of the town below. An engrossing narrative in prose filled with grace and poetry, this novel explores the locus of misfortune and the very nature of evil.

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The Wandering Irish in Europe: Their Influence from the Dark Ages to Modern Time by Matthew J. Culligan and Peter Cherici
This history of the invaluable labour of the Irish monks in preserving the foundations of Western culture by copying texts of ancient and early Christian authors is well known, as is the journey of many Irish monks to Europe, where they also copies ancient texts and founded monasteries. But thereafter the Irish involvement in the growth of Europe trails off in most history texts. Here is a book that fills in the picture of the significant Irish contribution to European civilization and history. The Irish, while never invaders, conquerors or rulers, were in fact teachers, leaders, and innovators in many different fields. There were Irish military men, who led the modernization of the armies of major European countries, and Irish diplomats, advisers, and political leaders who played important roles in the movement of a number of European countries towards nationhood. Drawing on widely diverse sources, including interviews with descendants of emigres, this is an absorbing book that provides a new perspective on the impact of a migrating culture on other groups.

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When Dublin Was the Capital: Northern Life Remembered by Allison Murphy
The images of Northern Ireland as a society in which Catholics and Protestants, nationalists and unionists represent two solitudes is a graphic one, at home and abroad. It is often assumed that the two traditions always existed in a state of near-total segregation. This book shows how far, even in the ominous decade leading up to the partition of the island, the two communities of the north of Ireland led common and overlapping lives. The daily life recalled by the author’s elderly informants - schooldays, church activities, pastimes and leisure, newspapers - testifies to the shared history and surprisingly high degree of mutuality enjoyed by a population soon to have their differences constitutionally and politically enshrined. This is a book of retrospective optimism and, by implication, of hope for the coming days.

Choose Ireland for Retirement: Retirement Discoveries for Every Budget by Patti Cleary
Retirement can be a time of growth, or adventure, or complete and utter relaxation. Where you spend your retirement years, no matter how you may define them, has to be a place that fulfils your desires and meets your changing needs. This book covers the many cities, towns and villages of Ireland that are ideal for retirees of every stripe. Descriptions of scenic places, as well as essential information about the resources and activities available in these areas, allow the reader to make an informed decision about selecting Ireland as an ideal location to enjoy an affordable, active and safe retirement.

Law & Finance in Retirement by John Costello
This is a simple and practical guide covering the legal and financial issues faced by older people and their families, and advice on how to deal with them. Readers will be able to anticipate and deal with potential problems speedily, cost effectively and legally. The book provides information on: Finance - entitlements, pensions, investments, taxation and covenants; Health and Incapacity - medical treatment, powers of attorney and wardship; Succession - will intestacy, trusts, estate planning, joint and foreign property; Community and Residential Care and Nursing Homes; Enforcing Legal Rights cheaply - small claims court, separation and divorce; and Personal changes in the Finance Bill 2000.

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Understanding the Natural World: Science Today by William Reville
Science dominates today’s world, for good or ill. Vital decisions affecting humankind, perhaps for generations, are being made by men and women of whose basic ideas and assumptions many of us have little real understanding. For instance, what is the real risk or reward in issues such as the greenhouse effect, human cloning or genetically modified crops? Believing that science is too important to be left to scientists, the author, in his popular weekly column ‘Science Today’ in the Irish Times newspaper, explains in clear and non-technical terms the world of science and how it impinges on our daily lives. This book brings together these articles as an easy-to-read introduction to the key findings and problems of modern science. It assumes little or no scientific knowledge, concentrating on opening the reader’s mind to the mysteries and wonders of the world of scientific discovery.

Us by Martin Malone
Set in the Curragh of Kildare, against a backdrop of sheep-farming and horse-racing, this novel gives a powerful voice to a hidden Ireland, telling its dark story with compassion and humour.

Cuan Mhuire: A Haven of Hope - the Life and Work of Sr Consilio by Nora McNamara
Cuan Mhuire was inspired by the belief that every human being is made to the image and likeness of God. The way of life in Cuan Mhuire enables those who follow that way to discover the giftedness within themselves, and to call it forth in others as they give it away to each other. The discovery and recovery is within the reach of all who wish to make the journey. This book shows the reader how.

44: A Dublin Memoir by Peter Sheridan
[Now in paperback.] Snow is falling all over Dublin. It is half an hour to the start of the New Year. On the rooftop of 44 Seville Place, a ten-year-old boy clings to the steel pole of a television aerial. His father urges him to turn the aerial towards England. They boy reaches up and, in that moment, pictures from a foreign place beam into their home and change their lives forever./ Thus begins an astonishing portrait of a Dublin family as they chart their way through the turbulent waters of the 1960s. From the first page we are drawn into their lives and their relationships. We exult in their triumphs and we cry at their disasters, but at no time is laughter far from the surface. By the book’s close, we are part of this extended family. / Peter Sheridan has written a brave book. In exploring his past with such honesty and compassion, he reveals the confused adolescent in us all. As he makes his journey from boy to man, he shows us an individual and a society on the cusp of a profound change.

Bloody Sunday and the Rule of Law in Northern Ireland by Dermot P.J. Walsh
Drawing on original research into explosive evidence which had been concealed for 25 years, this book offers a devastating critique of the official Widgery Inquiry into the shooting of innocent and unarmed civilians by British soldiers on 30 January 1972 - ‘Bloody Sunday’. The detailed and cogent exposition of how, and the extent to which, the rule of law was sacrificed in order to achieve the result desired by the political and security establishment is profoundly disturbing. Expert analysis of the relationship between law and security policy in Northern Ireland reveals the Bloody Sunday experience as a integral part of a sustained pattern in which law and justice have served as powerful and malleable tools in the hands of the political and security establishments, rather than as constraints on the excesses of the security forces. Prospects for a revival of justice and the rule of law are found in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and the unprecedented decision to establish a second tribunal of inquiry into Bloody Sunday.

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Those Are Real Bullets, Aren’t They?: Bloody Sunday, Derry, 30 January 1972 by Peter Pringle and Philip Jacobson
Despite hundreds of contemporary eyewitness accounts an official government inquiry exonerated the army, blaming instead the organisers of the march and the IRA, whom it said had started the shooting. For nearly thirty years the hidden truths of Bloody Sunday were locked in government files. Vital evidence was gathered by Peter Pringle and Philip Jacobson, journalists who were members of the Insight team. Using their unique research plus recently declassified documents and new statements from soldiers, civilians and the IRA, they have pieced together a narrative history of that terrible day in Derry. The book provides an intimate portrait of a city in revolt and the climax of a failed military response that plunged Northern Ireland into three decades of armed conflict. This extraordinary account recovers the faces of the soldiers and the gunmen, the stone-throwing youths and civil rights marchers who came together in the fatal fusion when Britain went to war with its own citizens.

Mountjoy: The Story of a Prison by Tim Carey
On 26 March, 1850, the Dublin Evening Post reported that the previous afternoon the Lord Lieutenant was received at the new prison. He ‘expressed himself highly gratified with every department’. Mountjoy was ready for prisoners. This book opens the window on Mountjoy’s remarkable and often bizarre history. It is an epic story with a cast of over half a million, including staff, petty thieves, vicious murders and famous figures in Irish history. This is a unique insight into Ireland’s most famous and difficult institution.

Is Shane MacGowan Still Alive?: Travels in Irishry by Tim Bradford
Tim Bradford thinks he is the Jack Kerouac of Ireland. He’s got a one-tune cuddly singing leprechaun named Neal Cassady, and together they travel the highways and byways of Ireland. On their brief and delightful expeditions around the country, they visit the mystical garages of Youghal; ‘repair’ to the Curragh of Kildare (just like Christy Moore); go on a cultural tour with a female Gaelic footballer; meet the spottiest hitch-hiker in Europe; and drive the worst roads in Europe. Their journeys - plus other highly original Irish odysseys such as Camden Town tube to Chalk Farm tube, across the top of Yeats’ mountain with an egg sandwich or up the last 500 yards of the Fulham Palace Road - give the author the chance to ponder the great unanswered questions and unsung heroes of Ireland and Irishness and put forward a new pantheon of Celtic myths and legends.

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Rent: The Secret World of Male Prostitution in Dublin by Evanna Kearins
The recent banning of a Dublin-based magazine for carrying advertisements for sexual services in its classified section has highlighted the sex industry in Dublin. Yet little is know about one category of sex worker: the male prostitute. The author estimates that there are some hundreds of these ‘invisible men’ in Dublin and the aim of her book is to throw some light on them. Over a period of months she has entered the world of many young male prostitutes, some of whom work on the streets or hustle in Phoenix Park and on Burgh Quay, others who operate as masseurs or escorts from relatively more secure surroundings. They spoke frankly to her about the sexual activities they engage in, their backgrounds, their education and their clients. This book lifts the lid on an aspect of Irish lift too often disregarded or swept under the carpet. It presents the engaging and often moving stories of the young men who offer sex for sale.

The Politics of Irish Drama: Plays in Context from Boucicault to Friel by Nicholas Grene
In this book the author explores political contexts for some of the outstanding Irish plays from the nineteenth century to the contemporary period, including The Playboy of the Western World and The Plough and the Stars, with the famous riots they provoked. The politics of Irish drama have previously been considered primarily the politics of national self-expression. Here it is argued that Irish plays, in their self-conscious representation of the otherness of Ireland, are outwardly directed towards audiences both at home and abroad. The political dynamics of such relations between plays and audiences is the book’s multiple subject: the stage interpretation of Ireland from The Shaughraun to Translations; the contentious stage images of Yeats, Gregory and Synge; reactions to revolution from O’Casey to Behan; the post-colonial worlds of Purgatory and All That Fall; the imagined Irelands of Friel and Murphy, McGuinness and Barry. In reinterpreting its politics, the author offers a new conception of Irish drama.

In Code: A Mathematical Journey by Sarah Flannery
Sarah Flannery is a cryptographer and a mathematician in the making with an international reputation, yet still only a teenager. At the age of 16 she won the 1999 Irish Young Scientist of the Year award with her ‘Cayley-Purser algorithm’, an innovative system of encoding data on the Internet. She is also a 1999 European Young Scientist of the Year. She has travelled the world and lectured widely, and has had approaches from many computer companies and universities. In this remarkable book, she tells the story of her life, mathematics and making codes. It is a popular science book with a personal angle, and also a fresh and modest self-portrait by a girl who is the reverse of a comic strip swot.

A Day in the Life by Sean O’Crohan
[Reprint.] The island of the Great Blasket lies three miles off the Kerry coast of Ireland, at the westernmost tip of Europe. Virtually unknown before this century, it was to produce a rich and extraordinary flowering of literature that has made it famous throughout the world. One of those who wrote about life in that remote community was Tomas O’Crohan, author of ‘The Islandman’. ‘A Day in the Life’, by his son, forms an epilogue to the story of the Gaelic-speaking Blasket, for it tells how, in its dying days, the islanders settled on the mainland. Sean provides vivid sketches of West Kerry after the Second World War, surveying the mainland scene with the ironical eye of the islander. He writes with robust humour and immediacy that derives from the oral tradition from which he came. His are the flesh and blood characters, life Bod, Com, and the Captain, who after a long night at sea come alive again to drink, dance and play the fiddle.

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