Posted by FOS …

There’s a new world out there

Book review by Frank O’Shea Sally Rooney. Normal People. faber & faber 2018. 266 pp ISBN: 978-0-571-34729-2 RRP:  $29.99 This novel was longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize and won the 2019 Costa Novel Award. Although it has won wide praise from reviewers, it is not entirely clear what all the admiration is about. At times … Continue reading →

Edward Eagar, Forger and Emancipist

A Feature by Mike Pinnock Edward Eagar was one of ten children born into a family of landed gentry on his parent’s estate of Gortdromakiery in the parish of Killarney, County Kerry in 1787. He benefitted from a privileged upbringing; he was, from an early age, privately tutored on the estate by his father before … Continue reading →

Irish Australia – Getting More Interesting

Launch of Elizabeth Malcolm and Dianne Hall, A New History of the Irish in Australia, Sydney, New South, 2018. This is the full text of Val Noone‘s launch speech on 20 November 2018 On your behalf, I pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, especially to their … Continue reading →

Ó labhair an teanga Ghaeilge liom

2019 Canberra Irish Language Class Information Evening 5 February 2019 Nature of Event: If you’re interested in attending Irish language classes in 2019 please come to this free information session in February. This information session will serve to answer any questions you have about the classes, materials and content as well as giving you an … Continue reading →

Famine Amnesia

Famine Amnesia

By Frank O’Shea The word ‘amnesia’ was heard several times at the Famine round table in the Williamstown Town Hall on October 28. It was used to describe the way that Ireland seemed to have forgotten about the Great Famine of 1845-51 until it was brought to public discourse following the publication of Cecil Woodham-Smith’s … Continue reading →