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bronxbomber


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What Books About Ireland Do You Like?
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"Paddy's Lament" by Thomas Gallagher is as vivid a history of The Famine as one will ever read. My great grandmother came over on one of those British "coffin ships" in 1846, at age fourteen, alone.

"Fairy and Folk Tales of Ireland", edited by Yeats, gets you into the Irish soul as only folk legend can. I keep thinking of that poor woman who, because she unwittingly threw her dish water out her window every night, right onto where the Faeries sang and danced, they punished her with chronic depression for seven years.

-- Edited by bronxbomber on Monday 5th of April 2010 08:39:05 AM

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yesiree


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I was just sent a copy of City-Pick Dublin, and I think it's an excellent primer for Dublin reading. It's an anthology of stories about the Fair City by authors old and new. Becket, O'Casey, Delaney, Binchy, Bowen, Behan, McCarthy and loads more.

I just started it, and I'm enjoying the variety of authors and stories included.

City Pick Dublin

-- Full disclosure - clicking on the book cover takes you to the book's page on Amazon. If you buy anything after following that link, a few pennies will be dropped into the Irish Fireside affiliate tip jar.


-- Edited by yesiree on Monday 5th of April 2010 07:56:43 AM

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Judy


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On a visit to the US from Ireland, my cousin brought me a book by Seamus MacAnnaidh called "Irish History". It takes the reader back to the beginning
from the earliest settlers 9,000 years ago, through Irelands struggles, to the
present day (2002). With an interest in Irish history, I found it to be an excellent
guide to the great characters, culture and traditions of Ireland. It's an easy read
with chapters only being 2 to 3 pages long and great illustrations.

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Michele Erdvig


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I have two floor to ceiling bookcases filled with Ireland books. I suppose it would take me a day or two to list them all here. wink

Some that I have enjoyed that come quickly to mind:

McCarthy's Bar
Series by Niall Williams & Christine Breen about moving from the US to Ireland
The Flowering of Ireland
The Great Hunger
Newgrange by Michael O'Kelly
Island of the White Cow
The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries
TWA Getaway Guide to Ireland 1973 (the first book I ever used on my first trip!) biggrin

Michele

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murphy


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I have 2 additional books that I enjoyed last summer before our trip to Ireland. The first was "Pint Size Ireland" ....can't remember the author, but it was his Island-wide quest for the perfect pint of Guiness. Also "Round Ireland with a Fridge" by Tony Hawkes. Both are very humerous, and also informative about a multitude of different areas all around Ireland. Dan

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Michele Erdvig


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My problem with reading books about Ireland is all those mistakes that jump out at me. Especially with fiction set in Ireland.

Michele

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Rosa_Mundi


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Other than travel guides and one enormous 'coffee table' book I only have one about Ireland that I know of (I have too many books to know what all is there. 'Friends of the Library' book sales are my undoing).  I do not normally read romance novels but I walked into Borders and saw a thick green book by Nora Roberts that said 'Irish Born' on the front and included three romance novels about three Irish sisters. *sigh*  Heavenly escape from reality.

In my real life I probably wouldn't admit that I enjoyed that trilogy but under cover of anonymity here I will revel in it.  LOVED the independent female characters, ADORED the happy romantic endings, and loved even MORE recognizing all the names of places I've done trip-planning research on.  biggrin



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Michele Erdvig


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Rosa,

I have to admit I've enjoyed some Nora Roberts escapism too. Her Irish novels are accurate because she actually visits Ireland. She stays at very posh Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare. Can we say "tax write off"?

Michele

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bronxbomber


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If you're going to Dublin, look at David Rutherford's engrossing 2-volume "Dublin Saga".
And, of course, "Ulysses". A Joyce scholar told me the only way to do it is to read the Gabler addition of the text, along with "Ulysses Annotated" by Don Gifford. He was right. But even then, you're not going to get all the references - just enough to know you are in the presence of a genius.

A reliable single-volume history is "The Course of Irish History", an anthology by Moody and Martin. For a lighter but still serious treatment, there is Thomas Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilization".

-- Edited by bronxbomber on Wednesday 7th of April 2010 10:04:06 PM

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Marie


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I recently read In Search of Ancient Ireland, by Carmel McCaffrey And Leo Eaton. If you are interested in Irish history, it's a very interesting and sometimes surprising read.

Marie

-- Edited by Marie on Wednesday 7th of April 2010 08:01:39 PM

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Laoghaire


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Hello, All..Two wonderful reads are by James Charles Roy:

The Back of Beyond--A Search for the Soul Of Ireland
The Fields of Athenry--A journey through Irish History

Helen

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Helen Leary Olson
The Next Chapter


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In Search of the Craic: One Man's Pub Crawl Through Irish Music
By Colin Irwin

If you're into Traditional Irish Music at all, it's a must read! :)


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Michele Erdvig


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Keep the suggestions coming. We will have to have a Book Club next!

Michele

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Itallian Chauffeur


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Helen --

i LOVED "The Back Of Beyond" , but was REALLY BUMMED to find out that Mr Roy has furious  furious SOLD furious furious Moyode Castle!!!!

I was HOPING that he would wait, until I managed to win the Lottery.  cry no no cry

The GOOD news, though, is that it is for sale, AGAIN .....  biggrin biggrin

http://www.medievalists.net/2010/03/26/castle-for-sale-in-ireland-moyode-castle/

Bob

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bronxbomber


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I'm reading "Tales from Old Ireland", retold by Malachy Doyle, beautifully illustrated in minimalist style by Niamh Sharkey, and with a pronunciation guide and two CDs.

It begins with the well-known "Children of Lir", whose wicked stepmother turns them into swans for nine hundred years. When at last they hear a monk ring the bell of St. Patrick, they come ashore in human form. But since they are nine hundred tears old, they die on the beach.



-- Edited by bronxbomber on Thursday 15th of April 2010 08:33:06 PM

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Laoghaire


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Bill..We (husband and I) explored Athenry area, looking for Moyode Castle, on our last visit in 2007.  We did think we found it, but nobody was around to ask about it.
Thanks for the heads up on the website, www.premierproperties. com ireland! If you go to the bottom of the page describing castles to buy, You will find Carrignacurra Castle (actually a tower house,but I would rather all it a castle).  You see, it is "my castle", I am a Leary/O'Leary.  WE stop in inchigeela every trip to Ireland. (Going on 8)
 Thanks again for the posting.

Helen

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Helen Leary Olson
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Helen  --

I'm SURE Bill says, "You're Welcome". 

I know that I do!  biggrin biggrin biggrin


I actually chose THAT link, BECAUSE of the  Carrignacurra listing.  Seems like a pretty REASONABLE price, too -- as Castles go!

Bob

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Laoghaire


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Bob, OT
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OT...Bob, before you look to buy Carrgacurra, let me know and I shall send you a copy of the plans of the castle.  Joe Creedon in Inchegeelagh gave me a copy a few years ago. Will be gone for two weeks to the Caribbean (Poor me!), let me know if you would like copies, they are fun to look at.

Helen

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Helen Leary Olson
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RE: What Books About Ireland Do You Like?
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We have our very own "Irish Hermitage" series...Inimitable Irish... 

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