| |
Traditions, folklore, history and more. If it's Irish, it's here. Or will be!
"People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors."
-Edmund Burke
Quotes
Library: Books, Movies, Music
Prints & Photos
Poetry
Jokes
Shops Ireland
Bunús na Gaeilge
(Basic Irish)
Circle of Prayer
Blessings
Did You Know?
Himself/Herself
Write to Us
Readers Write..
Links/Link to Us
Advertise with us
Awards & Testimonials
Submissions Guide
|
|
|
Nell
by Nell McCafferty
For over three decades Nell McCafferty has been Ireland's most provocative and interesting activist and commentator. As a member of that brilliant 1960s generation of working-class idealists politicized by class,war and sex, McCafferty, in her writing and broadcasting on everything from the hunger strikes to football, has inspired and infuriated in equal measure. Born on Derry's Bogside in 1944., she was the first of her family to go to university and after graduating she began a career in journalism which made her one of Ireland's most controversial commentators. Amazon review.
Click here for Nell.
|
A valuable description of a now vanished way of life, the author's sole purpose in writing this book was in his own words, 'to set down the character of the people about me so that some record of us might live after us, for the like of us will never be again.'
Click here for The Islandman.
|
The Queen of Gaelic story-tellers reflects on the days of her youth, and, while here were `clouds of sorrow', helping to lift them was the friendship she found in the community, which `was like a little rose in the wilderness'.
Click here for An Old Woman's Reflections.
|
From Dun Sion to Croke Park: The Autobiography
by Michael O'Muircheartaigh
One day in 1949, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh took part in a competition at Croke Park for an Irish-language commentator’s job. He was just eighteen and had never seen a hurling match in his life, but he got the job, and the rest is broadcasting history. In From Dún Síon to Croke Park, Micheál tells the story of his life and sporting times in his own words. Whether describing the farm where he grew up, the school where he learned to play Gaelic football, the majestic technique of Christy Ring, or the form of one of his greyhounds, Micheál’s prose shimmers with his legendary wit, grace and precision. Publisher's review.
Click here for From Dun Sion to Croke Park.
|
The Strings are False
by Louis MacNeice
Why should one bother to read this book, which has long passed out of current circulation? MacNeice's unfinished autobiography not only sheds light on a lost age of British social history, which includes the turbulent thirties and the Spanish civil war, but it also gives a glimpse into the life of a beautiful mind of an era gone forever.
Excerpted from an Amazon reviewer.
Click here for The Strings are False.
|
Booking Passage
by Thomas Lynch
In this compelling memoir, the author takes off for the Emerald Isle early in 1970 to meet his people, who live on the edge of the Atlantic in County Clare. He stays with elderly cousins, Nora and Tommy, a brother and sister who never married. The humble cottage has no water and is heated by a turf fire. Here the young Yank absorbs his culture shock and learns how life is lived without television, cars and other modern distractions. Edited from a review by Publisher's Weekly.
Click here for Booking Passage.
|
All Will be Well
by John McGahern
In his award-winning novels and stories, John McGahern (one of “the greatest Irish writers” — The New York Times Book Review) explores the ordinary lives of men and women to reveal the intricate workings of the human heart and mind. Now, in All Will Be Well, he turns to his own life, telling the story of his childhood in the Irish countryside and the beginnings of his life as a writer.
Click here for All Will be Well.
|
Parish Priest : Fr. Michael McGivney and American Catholicism
by Douglas Brinkley, Julie Fenster
Moving and inspirational, Parish Priest chronicles the process of canonization that may well make Fr. McGivney the first American-born parish priest to be declared a saint. This is not so much a history of the Knights of Columbus which he founded, as it is an affirmation of the maxim that "One good priest can make a difference." As the authors state in the book's preface: Readers will gain new insights into the life and times of a man who confronted bigotry, disease and unimaginable adversity with the weapons of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Adapted from amazon reviews.
Click here for Parish Priest : Fr. Michael McGivney and American Catholicism.
|
My Father’s Son
by Frank O’Connor
This second volume of O'Connor's memoir begins where An Only Child left off, with the author coming out of the internment camp where he had been imprisoned as an Irish revolutionary, and plunging into the burgeoning intellectual-political ferment of Dublin in the 1920s. In this work, the last book he wrote, O’Connor re-creates his years as a young writer, providing as he does so a magnificent portrait of an era.
Edited publisher review
Click here for My Father's Son.
|
... is the story of a woman's life; a tough and gritty life but one that makes you laugh and cry in equal measure. It is one of those books that you can't put down, you just want to know what happens next. But beware, it is not a gentle stroll through leprechaun land. Maura Murphy is a powerful matriarch, a woman determined to release herself from the chains of class, sexism, anti-Irish bigotry and male violence. Review by Constance from the UK
Click here for Don't Wake me at Doyle's
|
Jaywalking with the Irish is a tale of revelations - about donkey carts transformed into BMWs, about great blessings of warmth sometimes laced with begrudgery, about what happens to a family that ditches stability for the tricky task of fitting in abroad.
Click here for Jaywalking with the Irish.
|
'True Compass'
The greatly awaited summation of Senator Ted Kennedy's life and career comes out in the US in September with an announced first printing of 1.5 million copies.
To order your copy, please click True Compass.
|
Click here for Books by category:
Fiction | Classics | Heritage | History | The Troubles | Sports | Scenic | Humour | Folklore/Superstitions | Blessings & Prayers | Quotes & Trivia | Animals | Literature | Kitchen & Food | Kids Stories | Travel | Poetry | Weddings | Genealogy | Biographical | Crafts | Christmas | Irish Dancing | Miscellaneous | Irish Language | Supernatural | Irish America | Music
Biographical Page: 2
{Previous}
|
|
Fri, Sep 27, 2024
 The Galway Hooker
This unique vessel, with its distinctive curved lines and bright red sails, originated in the village of Claddagh. During the 19th century, hookers supported a significant fishing industry and also carried goods, livestock and fuel. Seán Rainey is remembered for building the last of the original boats, the Truelight, for Martin Oliver who was to become the last king of the Claddagh; as king, he was entitled to white sails on his boat. Since the mid seventies, many of the old sailing craft which were on the verge of extinction have been lovingly restored and new ones have been built. During the summer months they can be seen at festivals such a Cruinniú na mBád - the Gathering of the Boats - in Kinvara.
Click for More Culture Corner.
|
 Can't Find it?!
Our Library is compiled from what we know and like. If you can't find what you're looking for read on.
• First: go to Amazon -
There's no escaping the fact that they are the largest catalog.
Note: There are multiple Amazons and they do not carry exactly the same items. Any one of the U.S., U.K. and Canada sites may not have the item but another Amazon will. Each site will ship anywhere in the world. Try them all before you give up.
Click here for Amazon.US.
Click here for Amazon.UK.
Click here for Amazon.Canada.
• Second: Amazon doesn't have it? Try Powells. They are the largest book source in New York and they have a good selection of 'out of print' books. Click here for Powells.
This link brings you to a list of 600 Irish titles; if you're looking for something else, just Search.
• Third: Still can't find It? Alright, try ALibris they are the place for 'books you never thought you'd find'. We've found everything we were after. Click here for ALibris.
• Last: Nothing Worked?
E-Mail us, we'll give it a go. Click for Russ & Bridget.
|
Celtic Bookmark
Elegant bookmark is made of silver over pewter. It measures 3" x 1". When in use, the pretty Celtic design sticks out of your book. Or choose Trinity Knot or Celtic Heart.
Click for Celtic Book mark.
|
|
|
|
|
The Book Library
