One of Ireland’s best-known writers and his take on the years since he was born in 1958 Continue reading
Filed under Book review …
New Irish Fiction
Three recent novels with Irish authors or Irish themes. Continue reading
Gentle Stories of Loss and Longing
A language needs nurturing, love and polishing to keep it present. This is no easy feat when we are far away from the home country
where pieces of it spill into our daily lives whether on road signs, TV or generally in the way we speak English in Ireland and how we express ourselves. Continue reading
A Biographer Reflects
The offspring of a full suite of 8 Irish great grandparents, Brenda Niall grew up in a cosily inwardly-focussed Catholic world, until and beyond her university training. This was not unusual in her era Continue reading
The Famine Priest
The story of a priest, much ahead of his time, rather than of a place.That he devoted his greatest efforts to trying to help his parishioners through the Famine is why he best deserves to be remembered Continue reading
Gilligan: Drug Baron and Thug
In some ways, John Gilligan is the ultimate Irish joke, a small man of limited intelligence who managed by dint of violence to persuade those around him that he was the boss. Continue reading
New Irish Fiction
New Irish and Irish Australian novels reviewed by Frank O’Shea. Continue reading
The Treaty: 100 Years on
It may help to know that the book is written by an Australian-born journalist, now living in Dublin. She comes to the story as a neutral outsider, unburdened by the many educational and social experiences that an Irish writer would carry. Continue reading
New Irish Fiction
Sine fadas all over the place. Continue reading
Keneally, A Man for the Ages
Still writing, still stirring, Keneally is a model for the ages. Continue reading