Best of
Ireland

2018

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland


Patrick Radden Keefe - 2018
    They never saw her again. Her abduction was one of the most notorious episodes of the vicious conflict known as The Troubles. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the I.R.A. was responsible. But in a climate of fear and paranoia, no one would speak of it. In 2003, five years after an accord brought an uneasy peace to Northern Ireland, a set of human bones was discovered on a beach. McConville's children knew it was their mother when they were told a blue safety pin was attached to the dress--with so many kids, she had always kept it handy for diapers or ripped clothes.Patrick Radden Keefe's mesmerizing book on the bitter conflict in Northern Ireland and its aftermath uses the McConville case as a starting point for the tale of a society wracked by a violent guerrilla war, a war whose consequences have never been reckoned with. The brutal violence seared not only people like the McConville children, but also I.R.A. members embittered by a peace that fell far short of the goal of a united Ireland, and left them wondering whether the killings they committed were not justified acts of war, but simple murders.Patrick Radden Keefe writes an intricate narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions.

The Gracelin O'Malley Trilogy: Gracelin O’Malley, Leaving Ireland, and ’Til Morning Light


Ann Moore - 2018
      “An epic saga that sweeps you into the life of a remarkable woman,” Ann Moore’s trilogy of breathtaking historical novels covers Gracelin O’Malley’s life from the 1845 Famine and the Young Ireland movement to the mass emigration to America, culminating in the wild frontier of 1850s California (Romantic Times). Through it all, Gracelin’s indomitable spirit and Moore’s “vivid historical detail” prove most hauntingly memorable (Kirkus Reviews).  Gracelin O’Malley: As the potato famine devastates Ireland, Gracelin openly defies her English husband by feeding the desperate souls who come to their door, and secretly sides with the rebels who call themselves the Young Irelanders—including her beloved brother, Sean—as they fight to free their homeland from the yoke of English rule.   “Lyrical, pitch-perfect prose . . . Historical fiction at its finest.” —Publishers Weekly  Leaving Ireland: Forced to flee Ireland, Gracelin takes her young daughter with her on an arduous transatlantic voyage to New York City. As she tries to make a new life for herself and her daughter, she reunites with her brother and befriends a runaway slave, getting swept up into the volatile abolitionist movement.   “Moore blends romance and adventure. . . . Strong and likable characters and a well-paced story will make readers look forward to Gracelin’s next appearance.” —Booklist  ’Til Morning Light: With her two children, Gracelin travels to post–Gold Rush San Francisco to meet the sea captain who has proposed to her. But when she arrives, he is nowhere to be found. Although destitute in a dangerous city, Gracelin vows to make a secure life for her children and find her brother.   “Readers who have been following the story of Gracelin O’Malley will be thrilled with the concluding volume in Moore’s trilogy.” —Booklist

The Tide Between Us: An Epic Irish-Jamaican Story of Passion, Loss and Inescapable Destinies


Olive Collins - 2018
    As an Indentured Servant on a sugar plantation in Jamaica, Art gradually acclimatises to the exotic country and the unfamiliar customs of the African slaves. When the new heirs to the plantation arrive from Ireland they resurrect the ghosts of brutal injustices against Art. He bides his time and hides his abhorrence from his new master by channelling his energy into his work. During those years he prospers, he acquires land, he sees his coloured children freed after emancipation as he takes us on a multi-generational historical saga. Eventually Art is promised seven gold coins for seven decades of service. He doubts his master will part with the coins. The morning Art sets out to claim his gratuity, he ignores his sense of foreboding that he may not return home alive. Ireland 1991: One hundred years later a skeleton is discovered beneath a fallen tree on the grounds of Lugdale Estate. By its side is a gold coin minted in 1870. Yseult, the owner of the estate, watches as events unfold, fearful of the long-buried truths that may emerge about her family’s past and its links to the slave trade. As the skeleton gives up its secrets, Yseult realises she too can no longer hide. Inspired by the real story of 2,000 Irish children deported to Jamaica and the statistics that 25% of Jamaican citizens claim Irish ancestry. The Tide Between Us is a powerful novel documenting true historical events and the resilience of the human spirit.

Impossible Dream


Gemma Jackson - 2018
    They are placed in the home of Captain Charles Whitmore but soon discover that the household is in turmoil. Charles, hoping to amass a fortune, is preparing to set off on a long sea voyage, deliberately leaving his wife Georgina almost penniless to fend for herself and the servants. Georgina, who has been desperate to break free from a life of violent marital abuse, is relieved that he will be gone for some years, but nevertheless the future is frightening. Then help comes from an unexpected quarter. An organisation that helps women escape lives of abuse or genteel poverty makes Georgina an offer. They propose that her house should become a school designed to train such women to seek employment in the American West. The very idea is at once shocking and appealing. Can Georgina step into the unknown and lead the women under her care into the future? The orphan maids listen and wonder. Can they too dare to dream of a better life for themselves?

Good Deeds and Bad Intentions


Caimh McDonnell - 2018
    New York is the city that never sleeps and it certainly doesn’t take days off. Just because it's the holidays it doesn't mean that bad people aren't up to no good. Helena Martinez is trying to start a new life for her and her son but her ex-husband has other ideas. When she is approached by a mysterious woman with an offer of help she has to choose between running again or trusting a ragtag bunch of strangers and their unconventional methods. Good Deeds and Bad Intentions is a festive Bunny McGarry short story. Caimh McDonnell is the author of the critically-acclaimed Dublin Trilogy featuring Bunny McGarry, which melds high-octane action with a distinctly Irish acerbic wit. 

The Devil At Home: The horrific true story of a woman held captive


Rachel Williams - 2018
    It was a gun – a sawn-off shotgun.’Featured on ITV's Lorraine with Michael Sheen and Rachel Williams. Darren was funny and attractive, and 21-year-old Rachel fell head-over-heels for him; it wasn’t long before they moved in together, and she fell pregnant with his child. But his inner demons soon surfaced... Weakened and alone, Rachel was beaten and tormented by him for 18 years, until one day, Darren turned up at her place of work with a shotgun and left her for dead. But her ordeal wasn’t over… Devastating yet inspiring, Rachel’s story of hope tells of how you can always find the light, even in the very darkest of times.‘Incredibly poignant and powerful.’ – Victoria Derbyshire ‘Transformative. Life changing.’ – Michael Sheen

A Class Apart


Susie Murphy - 2018
    But since she left for Dublin seven years earlier, the tomboy has become a refined young lady, engaged to be married to a dashing English gentleman.Cormac McGovern, now a stable hand on the estate, has missed his childhood friend. He and Bridget had once been thick as thieves, running wild around the countryside together.When Bridget and Cormac meet again their friendship begins to rekindle, but it’s different now that they are adults. Bridget’s overbearing mother, determined to enforce the employer-servant boundaries, conspires with Bridget’s fiancé to keep the pair apart.With the odds stacked against them, can Bridget and Cormac’s childhood attachment blossom into something more?A Class Apart is the first book in Susie Murphy's historical fiction series A Matter of Class. The story continues in the second book, A Class Entwined.Praise for A Class Apart:'Susie Murphy writes with intelligence and assurance and has a real talent for capturing an authentic sense of time and place. I look forward to reading more from this bright new voice in historical fiction.' Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home'I am completely blown away by this series...Simply outstanding.' Book Reviews for U, book reviewer'Excellent characters and an interesting plot...The chemistry and romance between the two was well written and believable.' The Lit Bitch, book reviewer'Romance, drama, suspense, and beautiful scenery reign supreme in A Class Apart...The story encompasses the real truths that the people in Ireland had to face in their time, weaving a heartrending tale that's impossible not to read.' Ashley O'Melia, author and freelance writer'A richly detailed, historical tale of love against all odds...As you read this story you will fall deeper and deeper into the history of Ireland at the time, into the characters themselves, and into the emotions that are so vividly described that you cannot help but be caught up in it all too.' Books Of All Kinds, book reviewer'For those of you who like Historical Fiction, you are in for a real treat...I devoured this book.' Coffee, Books and China Cups, book reviewerWhat readers are saying:★★★★★ 'The Irish Downton Abbey! Fabulous.'★★★★★ 'If it was possible to give 100 stars to this book, I would!'★★★★★ 'An absolute page turner.'★★★★★ 'I loved the book from start to finish.'★★★★★ 'A brilliant love story.'★★★★★ 'A hugely satisfying read.'★★★★★ 'Get ready to fall in love!'★★★★★ 'This is going to be a fantastic series of novels.'★★★★★ 'Superbly written.'★★★★★ 'I am already itching to read the next book in the series!'

Travelling in a Strange Land


David Park - 2018
    Transport has ground to a halt, flights cancelled and roads treacherous. Yet Tom must venture out into this transformed landscape to collect his son Luke, sick and stranded in his student lodgings. During this solitary journey from Belfast to Sunderland by car and boat, Tom reflects on his life: the beloved wife he leaves behind, labouring to create the perfect Christmas and mend their family’s cracks with seasonal cheer; the son he is driving towards, yet struggles to connect with; the countless small disappointments of his photography career; and the absence that is always there as a voice in his head – his other son, Daniel.In prose both lyrical and effortless, David Park vividly presents us with the inner life of a man grappling with existence’s challenges: the memories that haunt us, the secrets that divide us, and the bonds that strengthen us. Meditating on marriage, masculinity, parenthood and ambition, this novel encapsulates, with its exquisitely nuanced, precisely delineated depiction of human experience, the unsolved mystery at the heart of our lives.

Bare Knuckle


Cindy Brandner - 2018
    And yet, here Brian Riordan was doing exactly that. So begins this prequel to the Exit Unicorns series, as we join the Riordan boys in the rough and tumble world of Belfast, Northern Ireland, during a summer of change and promise. Casey Riordan is on the cusp on manhood, and is learning just how high the price of that transition can be. Tagging along on this adventure is his brother, Pat, who is both shadow and conscience to Casey. Their father, Brian, is simply trying to keep his sons safe—a tall order in the gritty streets of this particular city. Bare Knuckle spans the events of one summer, giving a glimpse into the lives of the Riordans—the boys as they embark on the path to the men they are destined to be, and their father as he guides them along the way. The road is not smooth and contains hard lessons, both those of betrayal and treachery, all stemming from the events of one warm July night, when the match of hatred is set to the fuel of violence. After that night, life as they know it spirals out of control for the Riordans, until one man is forced to rejoin a world he thought he’d left behind forever, to ensure the safety of those he loves.

A Keeper


Graham Norton - 2018
    Her childhood home is packed solid with useless junk, her mother’s presence already fading. But within this mess, she discovers a small stash of letters—and ultimately, the truth. Forty years earlier, a young woman stumbles from a remote stone house, the night quiet except for the constant wind that encircles her as she hurries deeper into the darkness away from the cliffs and the sea. She has no sense of where she is going, only that she must keep on.

The Cruelty Men


Emer Martin - 2018
    Padraig is disappeared, Seán joins the Christian Brothers, Bridget escapes and her brother Seamus inherits the farm. Maeve is sent to serve a family of shopkeepers in the local town. Later, pregnant and unwed, she is placed in a Magdalene Laundry where her twins are forcibly removed. Spanning the 1930s to the 70s, this sweeping multi-generational family saga follows the psychic and physical displacement of a society in freefall after independence. Wit, poetic nuance, vitality and authenticity inhabit this remarkable novel. The Cruelty Men tells an unsentimental tale of survival in a country proclaimed as independent but subjugated by silence

The Story Collector


Evie Gaughan - 2018
    Beautifully written and steeped in folklore - this suspenseful story is told with warmth, wit and charm." Niamh Boyce (The Herbalist) A beautiful and mysterious tale from the author of The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris. When Harold Krauss, an Oxford scholar, arrives in the small village of Thornwood, he finds a land full of myth, folklore and superstition. He hires a local farm girl, Anna, to help him collect stories and first-hand accounts from the locals who believe in the fairy faith. However, their discoveries will set off a chain of events that will see him accused of another man's murder murder. One hundred years later, Sarah Harper finds Anna's diary and unearths Thornwood's dark secrets, that both enchant and unnerve.Treading a line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen, The Story Collector is a magical tale with unforgettable characters."The writing is bright and fluid with the warmth and charm of a fairy tale." THE IRISH TIMES"The kind of book to lose yourself in" NUDGE BOOKS MAGAZINE"An intriguing novel" HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY

Reporting the Troubles: Journalists Tell Their Stories of the Northern Ireland Conflict


Deric Henderson - 2018
    Reporting the Troubles brings together over sixty stories from the journalists who were on the ground. This remarkable, important book spans the thirty-year conflict, from the day in 1969 that the violence erupted on Duke Street in Derry, to the Good Friday Agreement and the Omagh bomb. Contributions include: Anne Cadwallader (BBC, RTE, Reuters) on the 1983 Maze breakout, Denis Murray (former BBC Ireland Correspondent) on one of the less-remembered deaths of the Troubles that has stayed with him, John Irvine (ITV News Senior International Correspondent) on covering ten funerals in one week, Paul Faith (Press Association) on taking the famous `Chuckle Brothers' photograph of McGuinness and Paisley, Conor O'Clery (Irish Times) on Ian Paisley, Martin Bell (BBC) on working in Belfast, and staying at the Europa one of the many times it was bombed, Kate Adie (BBC) on a lesson learned from the Troubles, David McKittrick (BBC, Independent) on the peace line.

Sweet Home


Wendy Erskine - 2018
    . . is every bit as good as her early stories in the always astute Stinging Fly magazine promised.' Jon McGregor, New StatesmanA reclusive cult-rock icon ends his days in the street where he was born; a lonely woman is fascinated by her niqab-wearing neighbours; a husband and wife become enmeshed in the lives of the young couple they pay to do their cleaning and gardening.Set in contemporary East Belfast, these eleven acutely observed short stories come charged with regret and sorrow, desire and yearning. With clear-eyed compassion and wry humour, Wendy Erskine deftly lays bare her characters’ struggle to maintain control in an often cruel world, where tragic events cast long shadows. Sweet Home by Wendy Erskine heralds the arrival of a wonderfully compelling and truly distinctive voice from Northern Ireland.

This Hostel Life


Melatu Uche Okorie - 2018
    From a day in the life of women queuing for basic supplies in an Irish direct provision hostel to a young black woman's depiction of everyday racism in Ireland, her nuanced writing shines a light on the injustice of the direct provision system and on the insidious racism experienced by migrant women living in Ireland. A third story, set in a Nigeria of the past, tells of a woman's life destroyed by an ancient superstition and her fierce determination to carry on, a quality Okorie believes is universally shared by women.

The Ruin


Dervla McTiernan - 2018
    But he's never forgotten the two children she left behind...When Aisling Conroy's boyfriend Jack is found in the freezing black waters of the river Corrib, the police tell her it was suicide. A surgical resident, she throws herself into study and work, trying to forget - until Jack's sister Maude shows up. Maude suspects foul play, and she is determined to prove it.DI Cormac Reilly is the detective assigned with the re-investigation of an 'accidental' overdose twenty years ago - of Jack and Maude's drug- and alcohol-addled mother. Cormac is under increasing pressure to charge Maude for murder when his colleague Danny uncovers a piece of evidence that will change everything...This unsettling crime debut draws us deep into the dark heart of Ireland and asks who will protect you when the authorities can't - or won't. Perfect for fans of Tana French and Jane Casey.

Last Stories


William Trevor - 2018
    Here we encounter a tutor and his pupil, whose lives are thrown into turmoil when they meet again years later; a young girl who discovers the mother she believed dead is alive and well; and a piano-teacher who accepts her pupil's theft in exchange for his beautiful music.

People Like Me


Lynn Ruane - 2018
    But in her early teens things began to unravel, and she fell into a life of petty crime and chaotic drug use. By age fifteen – pregnant with her first child, no longer attending school and still reeling from a series of shocking incidents in her personal life – Lynn decided she had enough of running away from herself and set about rebuilding her life.Inspired by her daughter, she returned to education and, with the help of some brilliant mentors, slowly began to heal the hurt of her younger years. She began campaigning on behalf of the people society had left behind by developing addiction services, becoming an activist in Trinity, and then as a senator in the chamber of the Seanad. But as the debate around consent gained pace, the lines between personal and political were redrawn, and Lynn was called to reckon with her past in a new and frightening way …Intimate and brave, People Like Me is the exhilarating story of one woman’s journey to the brink and back, emerging as a leading light for change in Ireland and an inspiration to women everywhere.

Craic Baby: Dispatches from a Rising Language


Darach Ó Séaghdha - 2018
    While Motherfocloir was steeped in memory and a father-son relationship, Craic Baby hinges on the beginnings of a father-daughter relationship, and how watching a child learn to communicate changes how you think about language.

The Hurlers: The First All-Ireland Championship and the Making of Modern Hurling


Paul Rouse - 2018
    The game was now played only in a few isolated rural pockets, and according to no fixed set of rules. It would have been absurd to imagine that, within five years, an all-Ireland hurling championship would be underway, under the auspices of a powerful national organization.The Hurlers is a superbly readable account of that dramatic turn of events, of the colourful men who made it happen, and of the political intrigues and violent rows that marked the early years of the GAA. From the very start, republican and ecclesiastical interests jockeyed for control, along with a small core of enthusiasts who were just in it for the sport. In this authoritative and seriously entertaning book, Paul Rouse shows how sport, culture and politics swirled together in a heady, often chaotic mix.'Fascinating ... a brilliantly researched book on hurling in the early years of the GAA' Martin Breheny, Irish Independent 'I heartily recommend it. Great picture of the emergence of modern Ireland amidst sport, nationalism, priests and assorted crazy hotheads ... Brilliant stuff' Dara Ó Briain'A story of pioneerism, passion, intrigue, skulduggery and commitment ... a must read for the many sports, and particularly hurling, supporters and admirers in today's version of Ireland' Irish Times'Brilliantly entertaining ... not just the gripping account of that first championship, but also of how the game of hurling itself was saved in the 1880s from what seemed certain extinction' Sunday Independent'Terrific' Kieran Shannon, Irish Examiner 'Can't recommend this enough. Amazing detail, brilliant story telling, full sweep of Irish life in the 1880's and all the seeds and fault lines of GAA life today brought to life' Ger Gilroy'A brilliant piece of work' Matt Cooper'Both a sports and a history book, full of wonderful stories from a different time, with tales of passion, skullduggery and controversy, played out against the backdrop of what could be described as a civil war within the GAA and a land war that threatened to rip the country apart' RTÉ Culture 'Fascinating' Frank McNally, Irish Times'A page turner that continues to deliver chapter after chapter ... The Hurlers is a must read' Limerick Leader'A superbly readable account ... an authoritative and seriously entertaining book' Ireland's Own'The perfect read for a brilliant hurling year' Caitriona Lally, Irish Independent Top Books of 2018'A vital look into the early years of the GAA and a perfect gift for both sport and history lovers' Mark Gallagher, Mail on Sunday Books of 2018'Marries forensic historical research of the cultural and political contexts for the emergence of modern hurling with a polished style and storytelling ability that is rare among historians' Diarmaid Ferriter, Irish Times Books of 2018'Flows along far more merrily and lightly than any history book has a right to and is especially enlightening when it comes to drawing the founding fathers Michael Cusack and Maurice Davin' Malachy Clerkin, Irish Times, Sports Books of 2018 'Marvellous ... the definitive account of this remarkable period when hurling came to life' Clonmel Nationalist'Brilliant' Kenny Archer, Irish News

Celtic Advent: 40 days of devotions to Christmas


David Cole - 2018
    Starting in November and reflecting on Jesus' coming at his birth as well as into our lives by the Holy Spirit and at the world's end, the author offers a unique approach to the season to help you gain a new sense of wonder in the birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world

Corvus Hall


Bibiana Krall - 2018
    Welcome to THE IRISH PHANTOM SERIES! Written in closely linked novellas, the series is best enjoyed read in sequential order.After surviving an inexplicable supernatural event, a young woman from New Jersey is crippled by anxiety and phobias.But it isn't until years later when Mary's best friend is to be married at a lavish mansion in Ireland, that the mystery begins to unravel.Will she unlock the secrets of Corvus Hall before it's too late?Hold onto your seatbelts! The phantoms are coming! Corvus Hall was written in homage to the style of Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca with a modern and surprising twist.

The Flight of the Wren


Orla McAlinden - 2018
    Orphaned Sally Mahon has a choice to make. Lie down and die on the graves of her parents, or join the throngs of the dispossessed on the highways of Ireland. She turns her steps to the nearby town of Newbridge in Kildare, where she will carve a future for herself or die trying.Tasmania, 1919. Spanish Flu sweeps through Hobart, travelling across the oceans with the soldiers returning from the war in Europe. Saoirse Gordon sits by her Grandmother’s sickbed. As the old woman cries out in her delirium, will the secrets Saoirse learns bring her peace, or destroy her forever? Have her Grandmother, her great-aunt and her mother been lying to her all her life? Saoirse races against time, and her grandmother’s illness, to unravel the secrets of her family.Inspired by true events, the tales of real Irish women and girls weave throughout this poignant blend of fact and fiction. The Flight of the Wren explores the impact of the Irish famine of 1845-1849 on the women of Ireland. Acts of desperation, betrayal, courage and love illuminate this dark chapter of Ireland’s history in a complex and beautiful novel. Winner of the Cecil Day Lewis award 2016 and joint winner of the Greenbean Novel Fair 2016 at the Irish Writers Centre.

The Irish Witch Series : Books 1 - 4


Leigh Ann Edwards - 2018
    Young and beautiful Alainn McCreary, healer in training to the powerful O'Brien Clan, is on the cusp of discovering she possesses vast and unusual supernatural powers, which she hopes will help her unlock the secrets of her past and break the curse on the O'Brien Clan. Alainn is counseled to hide her magical abilities, but how can she when dark forces rise up to threaten not only the O'Brien Clan, but Alainn and the life of the Chieftain's beloved, but forbidden nephew, Killian O’Brien, a man Alainn has loved as long as she can remember? The Witch's Daughter Healer, witch, and commoner Alainn McCreary battles valiantly to control her growing magical powers and to ignore her doomed yearning for noble Killian O’Brien, a man who is far above her station and betrothed to a noble, dark-eyed Scottish beauty. Alone, she continues her quest to break the bitter curse that dooms not only the powerful O’Brien Clan but also Alainn and Killian’s future happiness. Threatened by dark forces, a powerful chieftain, and a suspicious priest, loyal, valiant and handsomely virile Killian vows to fight at his beloved Alainn’s side even as he realizes time is running out for both of them. The Witch’s Daughter, set in the mystical landscape of ancient Ireland, weaves romance, adventure and the supernatural into a sensual tale of love and longing that darkly whispers “What wouldn’t you do for love?” The Chieftain's Daughter Young, pregnant witch, Alainn McCreary, is forced to rely on her mysterious and unpredictable magical powers in an attempt to protect the life of her strong and courageous new husband, Killian O’Brien, and the life of their unborn child, battling against all odds waged by a powerful and corrupt chieftain, a vengeful curse, and malevolent dark forces unleashed by a scheming demon. Set in mystically enchanting, but dark and dangerous 16th Century Ireland where fairies, witches, spirits, and demons dwell among humans, the Chieftain’s Daughter is an enticingly romantic and lustful tale of love, desire, danger, and adventure. The Chieftain's Wife As Alainn and Killian O'Brien begin their married life together, Alainn encounters many new and unexpected challenges. Stricken by the disturbing, reoccurring vision of Killian's death, she desperately seeks a way to prevent it from happening. In hope of providing a normal life for their unborn child Alainn turns from her own magical abilities, but soon realizes that doing so may endanger everyone she cares for. Set in 16th century Ireland, A Chieftain's Wife continues the captivating story of Alainn and Killian's passionate love. Past indiscretions, deep jealousy, a vindictive witch, and tragic hardships all threaten to disrupt Killian and Alainn's happiness and future together.

Trouble Songs: Music and Conflict in Northern Ireland


Stuart Bailie - 2018
    Trouble Songs is related by Bono, Christy Moore, the Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers, Orbital, Kevin Rowland, Terri Hooley, the Rubberbandits and the Miami Showband survivors. Musicians from punk, folk, rave and rock have responded to violence, bigotry and shocking events. The soundtrack includes remarkable work by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Sinead O’Connor, the Pogues, the Cranberries and Elvis Costello.Stuart Bailie, a Belfast-based music journalist and broadcaster, has spoken to over 60 participants and reveals many untold histories. Trouble Songs is an alternative hearing of the conflict, a testament to music’s value as a persuader, agitator and peacemaker.Trouble Songs has been supported by the British Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. It is published by Bloomfield Press, a collaboration between the author and Eastside Arts, Belfast.

Blazing a Trail: Irish Women Who Changed the World


Sarah Webb - 2018
    A book for everyone who dreams of changing the world.From fearless aviator, Lady Mary Heath, the first woman in the world to parachute from an aeroplane, to Margaret Bulkley, the 18th-century surgeon who lived as a man, meet 28 remarkable Irish women who have taken the world by storm.You may have already heard some of their names, like Countess Markievicz and Mary Robinson, but others, like Anne Sullivan, Lilian Bland or Anna Haslam, may be new to you.Packed with fun, fascinating facts and stunning, full-page illustrations, this book celebrates the trail blazers who have shaped the world we live in.Ready to walk in their footsteps? A world of bravery and discovery awaits you.Made by two remarkable women, author Sarah Webb and illustrator Lauren O'Neill.

Hat


Renée Paule - 2018
    However, this happiness turns to discontent when Bertie sees George looking ‘important’ in his new bowler hat. Bertie wants one just like it, so that he can look important too. Consequently, he hangs up his comfy old hat and that’s when his adventure begins.There's a fun activity page at the back of this book - children can learn more about different types of hats and their names.Which hat would you wear?

The Adoption Machine: The Dark History of Ireland's Mother and Baby Homes and the Inside Story of How 'Tuam 800' Became a Global Scandal


Paul Jude Redmond - 2018
    What followed would rock the last vestiges of Catholic Ireland, enrage an increasingly secularised nation, and lead to a Commission of Inquiry. In The Adoption Machine, Paul Jude Redmond, Chairperson of the Coalition of Mother and Baby Homes Survivors, who himself was born in the Castlepollard Home, candidly reveals the shocking history of one of the worst abuses of Church power since the foundation of the Irish State. From Bessboro, Castlepollard, and Sean Ross Abbey to St. Patrick's and Tuam, a dark shadow was cast by the collusion between Church and State in the systematic repression of women and the wilful neglect of illegitimate babies, resulting in the deaths of thousands. It was Paul's exhaustive research that widened the global media's attention to all the homes and revealed Tuam as just the tip of the iceberg of the horrors that lay beneath. He further reveals the vast profits generated by selling babies to wealthy adoptive parents, and details how infants were volunteered to a pharmaceutical company for drug trials without the consent of their natural mothers. Interwoven throughout is Paul's poignant and deeply personal journey of discovery as he attempts to find his own natural mother. The Adoption Machine exposes this dark history of Ireland's shameful and secret past, and the efforts to bring it into the light. It is a history from which there is no turning away. [Subject: Current Affairs, Politics, Irish Studies, History, Religious Studies]

Marina


Aoibheann McCann - 2018
    The story of the heroine’s mental struggles, her musical talent, her escape to London, her offbeat boyfriend, her sojourn in surburbia and eventual return to Ireland builds to a shocking crescendo. It is a narrative so rich with emotion and alive with intimate detail that when you finish reading you wish there could be more.Advance Praise for Marina.'Knowing and mysterious, funny and heartbreaking. Best of all though this is a genuine original, a singular enchantment.' Mike McCormack, Author of Solar Bones.'Rich in insights and wry humour, the novel explores what it is to be isolated, lost, stranded between worlds. Aoibheann McCann writes exquisitely of the magnetic pull of sea and water, and Marina's yearning to belong. Marina would rather breathe water than air, and her fractured relationships mirror the planet's escalating tensions between oil, sea and sun.'Danielle McLaughlin, Author of Dinosaurs on Other Planets. 'A cri-de-coeur on behalf of a purer state of being, and return thereto. Most of all, perhaps, a story about existing in the world, and how difficult and painful existing in the world can be, Marina is that oh-so-rare novelistic thing – an ideal blend of luminous prose and read-on storytelling. A wonderful gift of a first novel.'Alan McMonagle, Author of Ithaca

Ireland: The Emerald Isle


Martin J. Dougherty - 2018
    To some the appeal is its natural beauty, to others it’s the history; to some it’s Ireland’s lasting folk tradition, to others it even seems to be a mystical place. Ireland: The Emerald Isle presents 200 outstanding photographs of the island’s most evocative and beautiful places, from the miles of near empty beaches on the Dingle Peninsula to the Mourne Mountains in County Down, from the pretty fishing towns of County Cork to Dublin’s elegant Georgian streets and Belfast's bridges. While some images such as the striking basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway may be familiar, others you may know only from TV series and movies like Game of Thrones and Star Wars, but not have known that they, too, are to be found in Ireland. Presented in a landscape format and with captions explaining the story behind each entry, Ireland: The Emerald Isle is a stunning collection of images celebrating the island’s natural beauty, culture and history.

Rory Gallagher: The Man Behind The Guitar


Julian Vignoles - 2018
    He bounded across the stage with the swagger of a rock star, but offstage he was a shy, unassuming man. There were no wild parties, no marriages and divorces. His short life shifted between the bright lights of his success and the darkness of personal struggle. Gallagher was a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer and champion of blues music. His career began in an Irish showband, followed by four years as the central talent of Taste, one of the great Irish bands. He went on to even greater fame as a solo artist in the 1970s. Gallagher was dedicated to a steadfast musical vision, one that continues to burn brilliantly in rock history.Drawing on extensive interviews, Julian Vignoles casts new light on the familial, musical and other influences that inspired Gallagher, and on the complex personality that drove his career. He reassesses Gallagher’s songwriting, often overlooked because of his dexterity as a guitarist. Crucially, Vignoles shows how many songs speak eloquently – and poignantly – about the person who penned them. Meticulously researched, this portrait is the insightful biography that Rory Gallagher deserves, as revelatory for his legions of loyal fans as for curious rock and blues enthusiasts.

The Confession of Peadar Gibbons


Declan Varley - 2018
    Most centred on five-legged donkeys or the dangers of fairy forts. However, none fascinated the Pulitzer-winning, Irish-born writer, as much as this one. This time, he was part of the story. And so was she. Her dad’s childhood friend Peadar Gibbons, had, on his fiftieth birthday, walked into his local Garda police station in a west of Ireland town, saying he had some things to get off his chest. But Peadar was deemed 'harmless’, a man who had lived on the fringes of society; extra-average. Just another solitary life in a small town. It was a Sunday evening. A quiet one. And tea-time in the police station. Not a time for big confessions. So the officer sent him home with the advice to ‘write it all down.’ After all, Peadar liked writing short stories, and had penned ‘posh poems that didn't rhyme’. Taking down his Remington typewriter and punching out fifty chapters of a life less ordinary, Peadar would later present the Gardai with what they described as the ‘most elaborate document of admission the force had ever receive.’ Written with a frankness befitting a man who wanted to be unburdened; to be noticed though not stared at; to be talked of, not talked about. Struggling to find his way in a changing Ireland; not good enough to deserve a decent chance at home. Not confident enough to try his luck overseas. Stuck in a life of horror, incidents, and consequences. Left with nothing but his confession. Declan Varley is a stunning new voice in the great tradition of Irish literary fiction. Born in 1965, he grew up in the small town of Ballinrobe in County Mayo, Ireland. In his teens, Declan began his career in writing when he established a weekly magazine with a group of friends. That publication gave Declan the motivation he needed to use words as his trade, writing the college subculture novel Kittyland in 1992, followed by Sure It Could Happen (1993) The Elephant’s Graveyard, (1994) and Nightmusic (2001). A successful career in journalism followed, writing award winning stories for regional, national, and international newspapers. He is currently Group Editor of Galway Advertiser Newspapers. Declan lives in Galway with his wife, Galway Bay fm Head of News Bernadette Prendergast and their daughter, Giselle.

In the Dark River (The Joe Swallow series)


Conor Brady - 2018
    If Parnell falls, the G-men of Dublin’s Metropolitan Police fear the chaos that will rise in his wake. As Swallow struggles to hold his marriage together, he must choose between the life he wants and the career he has built. The pressure mounts on Swallow from all sides: a death under Dublin, an Irish journalist murdered in Madrid, the pursuit of a suspect across the breadth of Ireland and all the while, the sinister machinations of the British Empire against the ‘uncrowned king’. Conor Brady returns with a masterfully thrilling tale of intrigue, treachery and suspense, the fourth book in the Joe Swallow series.

Ride: Maelíosa and Sage: Episodes 9-12 (Puca Mates Collection Book


A.C. James - 2018
    It’s now or never and he must risk everything or regret it for the rest of his life… and with his secret that might not be too long. He treks to THE STABLES, an exclusive mating service for the púca shape shifters on the Aran Islands as a last ditch effort. He’s greeted by a curvy, annoying, scrumptious package named Maelíosa. She makes him want what he hasn’t dared to hope for: love, a mate, and a home for him and his daughter.

Rockfleet


Jennifer Rose McMahon - 2018
    Torn between tribal bonds of the past and high pressure expectations of the present, Maeve must end her menacing curse before becoming lost forever between her two worlds. Joining the notorious sixteenth-century pirate queen in a final resistance against the crown, Maeve battles to protect her clan from obliteration. But will the heart-wrenching distraction of the rival clan chieftain’s son derail her before she is able to succeed in her risky mission and return to the future?In the quest of a lifetime, or centuries of lifetimes, Maeve must make an impossible choice between love and loyalty to end her curse before her time runs out, trapping her in the past forever.

The Wind that Shakes the Corn: Memoirs of a Scots Irish Woman


Kaye Park Hinckley - 2018
    But Nell uses her beauty and cunning to seduce the plantation owner's stoic son who sneaks her away to pre-revolutionary Philadelphia where she agrees to marry him, keeping secret her marriage to the Scottish lord she loves, and swearing to pay back the English not only for her own kidnapping but also for her mother's hanging two decades earlier. Beginning in eighteenth century Ireland, and then set against the background of a burgeoning America, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE CORN underscores the feistiness, heart-held faith, and courage of Scots Irish immigrants in their struggle toward individualism in America.This story is based on the life of the author’s eighth great-grandmother, who for ninety-nine years lived through it all. Of course, much is necessarily imagined. But England’s subjugation of Ireland’s people, the American Revolution, and some of the real players in both, are factually told.

Eat The Moon


Breda Joy - 2018
    He is a rising hurling star, with the world at his feet and one spirited local girl in his heart. His grandmother, however, has read a frightening premonition in the tea leaves.Already several things out of the ordinary have occurred that summer. First, there is the arrival of Tamara, a young London cousin - minus her voice, which she lost following a traumatic event. Then, in the same week of July 1969, the family are caught up in the magic of the Apollo moon landing.It's a giant step for mankind indeed but doesn't help Tamara to adjust to the already alien world of the Cork farm. Mute, she must cope with the unfamiliar idiom and way of seeing the world, while her cousin Sally resents the attention paid to her.Then all their lives are shattered by a blind act of fate that threatens to tear the family asunder.Like the Apollo astronauts, Kieran and his family begin a voyage away from the familiar. Their journey back from the dark side of the moon involves one exceptional moon-silver horse, the bonds of family, the wisdom of age and the passionate loyalty of youth.

Martin McGuinness: The Man I Knew


Jude Collins - 2018
    Those who knew Martin McGuinness during his life talk frankly about him, what he did and said, what sort of man he was. Eileen Paisley speaks of the influence she believes her husband, Ian, had on him; former Assistant Chief Constable Peter Sheridan recounts how the Derry IRA targeted him as a Catholic RUC policeman; peace talks chairman Senator George Mitchell comments on the role he played in talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement; and Sinn F�in President Gerry Adams remembers the man who for so many years was his closest colleague. Other contributors include; Ulster Unionist MLA Michael McGimpsey, prominent Irish-American Niall O'Dowd, peace talks chairman Senator George Mitchell, 54th Comptroller of the State of New York Thomas P. Di Napoli and Presbyterian minister David Lattimer.

The Good Friday Agreement


Siobhan Fenton - 2018
    The botched parliament at Stormont lumbers from crisis to crisis and has scarcely passed any laws. At the time of writing, Sinn Féin and the DUP are refusing to share power and Northern Ireland is facing being run directly from London.This remarkable book examines power-sharing and the peace process in Northern Ireland on the twentieth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and asks what it has achieved beyond an end to violence. She concludes that, although it brought an end to violent blood shed on Northern Ireland's streets, it also failed to create healthy and functional politics.The Good Friday Agreement served an important purpose in 1998, but has since been out-paced by local and global politics. It is no longer fit to facilitate the peaceful politics it made possible, as the current collapse of power-sharing sadly shows.

The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling's Golden Gener


Barry Ryan - 2018
    Kelly was quiet, consistent and famously resilient - the dominant classics rider of his era. Roche, by contrast, was a charismatic and mercurial presence, whose unruly talent would carry him to the Triple Crown in 1987 - victories at the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championships - a feat unmatched since. But behind the races there lies a bigger drama: an untold story of influences shared, friendships made and broken, and conflict with cycling's old guard. Based on new and exclusive interviews with Kelly and Roche themselves, as well their teammates, rivals and confidantes, this is the inspiring story of how a generation of Irish cyclists took on the world and won.

Ireland The Best: The insider’s guide to Ireland


John McKenna - 2018
    This fully comprehensive and independent guide to Ireland gives you only the very best recommendations, whatever your budget.Brought to you by the McKennas, who have over 30 years’ experience writing and talking about Ireland’s amazing food, drink and hospitality. Following the format of Scotland the Best, Scotland’s bestselling guide for 25 years.Easy-to-use guide with over 2000 recommendations:• Eat and drink at the best local pubs, cafes and regional restaurants• Great advice on where to sleep, from wild camping to boutique hotels• Discover stunning scenery, landscapes and historical highlights• Find the best coastal walks, city strolls and sightseeing spots• Explore the true culture of Ireland and discover local hidden gemsLocal experts John and Sally McKenna are your personal guides to the very best of Ireland, from the streets of Belfast to the hills of Galway. They have visited, rated and remarked on every entry to help you get the most out of the Emerald Isle.

Disorder


Gerard Brennan - 2018
    A Yoga mat, his Buddhist teaching and a Glock, his main weapons of choice. Tommy has had a tough time as a Cop. Now he has a clear and definite purpose. Deal with a local crime Kingpin and he may just achieve some sense of redemption.Patricia, “Dev”, Devenney, Tommy’s partner. Made from more traditional stock. All Dev wants is for Tommy to be at peace with himself…hopefully keeping him alive along the way.Clark Wallace, the Kingpin. Clark has values, traditions, honour- unfortunately, none of them are really traits that normal folk would adhere to. Clark is like a bad nightmare in technicolour and this movie is about to go into 3D.Jimmy McAuley. The student. Failing at University. Soaring with the Weed. Quite simply, Jimmy is in the wrong place at the wrong time - stoned and about to learn a harsh life lesson. Hopefully he can pass this exam.Grace Dornan. The reporter. Grace knows what her Prize should be. The only problem for Grace is that she may let the “truth” behind this grand saga be the last thing she seeks.

Twelve Thousand Days: A memoir of love and loss


Éilís Ní Dhuibhne - 2018
    And he knew I'd caught it. There was that understanding between us. We were members of the club of the X-ray eyes, the club of people who can see into the human heart.'Éilís Ní Dhuibhne's candid and moving memoir tells the story of her thirty-year relationship with the love of her life, internationally renowned folklorist Bo Almvqvist, capturing brilliantly the compromises and adjustments and phases of their relationship. Twelve Thousand Days is a remarkable story about love, grief and time, shot through with wry and sharp observations on Irish life, culture and morality.

Mythical Irish Beasts


Mark Joyce - 2018
    

Tales of Old Ireland: Retold


Lora O'Brien - 2018
    Our Tales of Old Ireland reach from the heroic warriors Fionn and the Fianna, to the curse of a Goddess, to an on-going battle of wits between the Connacht Queen Medb (Maeve) and her rival the King of Ulster. You'll see shape shifting sisters, fairy folk you'll want to watch out for, fights with monsters, and wise old women helping young maids.

Dublin's Great Wars: The First World War, the Easter Rising and the Irish Revolution


Richard S. Grayson - 2018
    Grayson tells the story of the Dubliners who served in the British military and in republican forces during the First World War and the Irish Revolution as a series of interconnected 'Great Wars'. He charts the full scope of Dubliners' military service, far beyond the well-known Dublin 'Pals', with as many as 35,000 serving and over 6,500 dead, from the Irish Sea to the Middle East and beyond. Linking two conflicts usually narrated as separate stories, he shows how Irish nationalist support for Britain going to war in 1914 can only be understood in the context of the political fight for Home Rule and why so many Dubliners were hostile to the Easter Rising. He examines Dublin loyalism and how the War of Independence and the Civil War would be shaped by the militarisation of Irish society and the earlier experiences of veterans of the British army.

Fodor's Essential Ireland 2019 (Full-color Travel Guide Book 3)


Fodor's Travel Publications Inc. - 2018
    Complete with detailed maps and concise descriptions, this travel guide will help you plan your trip with ease. Join Fodor's in exploring one of the most exciting countries in Europe.Ireland may be a small island, but it's packed with things to do and see and simply overflowing with natural beauty, vibrant culture, and ancient history. From the splendor of its Georgian homes and Norman castles to its strikingly scenic landscapes, lush green fields, and postcard-perfect villages, there's majesty at every turn here. Add a lively pub culture, a thriving arts and music scene, a reverence for the spoken word, and a warm and welcoming people, and you see why the Emerald Isle is one of Europe's most popular destinations. Fodor's Essential Ireland 2019 includes:-UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE: Fully updated coverage of neighborhoods, must-see attractions, hotels, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and more. New restaurants and hotels throughout Ireland showcase the best options at different price points and categories. Updated annually to ensure the best and most relevant content.-ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE: A brief introduction and spectacular color photos capture the ultimate experiences and attractions throughout Ireland.-PULLOUT MAP AND MORE DETAILED MAPS: 50 detailed maps and a handy country-wide PULLOUT MAP that also covers the city of Dublin to help you plan and get around stress-free.-GORGEOUS PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATED FEATURES: In-depth illustrated features cover Dublin's literary heritage, iconic sights like the Ring of Kerry and the Rock of Cashel, and the Anglo-Irish Georgian House. Other features shine a spotlight on cruising on the Shannon, hiking in the West, and Irish whiskeys.-ITINERARIES AND TOP RECOMMENDATIONS: Check out the Great Itineraries section to help plan your time, whether it's a few days or a few weeks. Find suggested excursions from Dublin, a tour of Northern Ireland, as well as the Wild Atlantic Way coastal route. Includes tips on where to eat, stay, and shop as well as information about nightlife, sports, and the outdoors. Fodor's Choice designates our best picks in every category.-INDISPENSABLE TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS: Planners gives useful, practical overviews of important travel information. A Calendar of Events helps visitors choose the best time to plan a visit around special festivals, parades, and golf tournaments.-COVERS: Dublin, Clare, Galway, Cork, Belfast, the Aran Islands, the Ring of Kerry, Connemara, and much more.-ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor's has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years.Planning on visiting the United Kingdom, too? Check out Fodor's Essential England, Fodor's London 2018, Fodor's Essential Great Britain, and Fodor's Scotland.

Amidst the Stones of Celtic Ireland


Jeanne Crane - 2018
    He is fascinated by lighthouses and she is drawn to ancient Celtic stone circles. They embark on a road trip around the coast of Southwest Ireland that takes them into mystical and magical experiences far beyond their planned itinerary. Messages from Abby’s past, even perhaps past lives, greet them as they visit stone circles, ancient Celtic church ruins and ponder the role of the Mother/Divine Feminine in ancient religion, local myth and history, and early Christianity.Jeanne Crane’s love of Ireland is infectious, her extensive travel experience informative and the characters she has created are endearing and authentic.

Pilgrim


Louise Hall - 2018
    Just hours later he finds out that Sarah has become the victim of a hit and run driver and is in critical condition in hospital. Sarah's death and Charlie's self-absorbing grief throws their daughter Jen's life into turmoil. Will an unwanted pilgrimage to Medjugorje heal Jen and Charlie's relationship, or, should Jen prepare to lose her remaining parent? Told with a deep humanity and grace, Pilgrim is a story about a man who feels he has nothing to live for, and a daughter who is determined to prove him wrong.

A Narrow Sea: The Irish–Scottish Connection in 120 Episodes


Jonathan Bardon - 2018
    Based on the popular BBC Radio Ulster series of the same name, A Narrow Sea traces the epic sweep of Ireland’s relationship with Scotland, exploring the myriad connections, correlations, personalities and antagonisms that have, over the years, defined the relationship between these two spirited neighbours.Roving freely across the centuries, from the first migrations of the regions’ intrepid Mesolithic pioneers, to the grand colonial projects of the Vikings, Normans and Stuarts, this is the dramatic story of how one culture came to found two very different nations and, in doing so, project its influence as far afield as North America and Australasia.In 120 brief and accessible episodes, A Narrow Sea offers a stirring and panoramic view of a connection that has shaped the course of history on both sides of the narrow sea.

Welcome Home: Historic Romance of the Celtic Legends


Martina Boone - 2018
    Along the way, there are stops through little known incidents that bring Henry VIII, Bloody Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, and other historical figures roaring to the page, together with stories, music, and recipes that will immerse readers into the historical battles between towering personalities. Read it through from cover to cover or jump around via the table of contents. WELCOME HOME will make you reexamine what you thought you knew about the facts in your history books as well as the characters in your favorite historical romances and novels. An engaging collection that puts historical fiction and the contemporary view of historical fact into context, perfect for readers who love Martina Boone's Celtic Legends Collection, Nora Roberts' trilogies from Scotland and Ireland, Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series, Susannah Kearsley's modern gothic novels with a touch of history, or medieval or regency historical fiction featuring men in kilts. ★★★★★ PRAISE FOR LAKE OF DESTINY ★★★★★ "I loved this!!! It reminds me of a Nora Roberts series, The Gallaghers of Ardmore . . . but a Scottish version with men in kilts!" — Two Chicks on Books "Outlander-Lite Meets Gilmore Girls in Scotland. This is a story that sucked me in from the start and didn't let go until I'd laughed, shed a few tears and worked up an appetite. Fast. Fun. Romantic. Read it!" —Jenuine Cupcakes "Endearing and alluring! Modern day mixed with history, truth, folklore, and just the right touch of the blarney! — Thoughts on Your Words "So much charm it's magical!" — BookGeek ★★★★★ PRAISE FOR COMPULSION ★★★★★ “Skillfully blends rich magic and folklore with adventure, sweeping romance, and hidden treasure . . . Impressive.” — Publisher’s Weekly “Eight Beaufort is so swoon-worthy that it’s ridiculous. Move over Four, Eight is here to stay!” — RT Book Reviews, RT Editors Best Books of 2014 “Darkly romantic and steeped in Southern Gothic charm, you’ll be compelled to get lost in the Heirs of Watson Island series.” — #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout “The perfect Southern family saga: charming and steamy on the surface, with cold-blooded secrets buried down deep. — Kendare Blake, NYT bestselling author “Haunting, atmospheric, and absorbing.” — Claudia Gray, New York Times bestselling author “Beautifully written, with vivid characters, a generations-old feud, and romance that leaps off the page. Not to be missed.” — Megan Shepherd, NYT bestselling author ★★★★★ MARTINA BOONE'S CELTIC LEGENDS COLLECTION ★★★★★ &lt

Country


Michael Hughes - 2018
    After twenty-five years of vicious conflict, the IRA and the British have agreed to an uneasy ceasefire as a first step towards lasting peace. But, faced with the prospect that decades of savage violence and loss have led only to smiles and handshakes, those on the ground in the border country question whether it really is time to pull back—or quite the opposite.When an IRA man’s wife turns informer, he and his brother gather their comrades for an assault on the local army base. But old grudges boil over, and the squad's feared sniper, Achill, refuses to risk his life to defend another man’s pride. As the gang plots without him, the British SAS are sent to crush the rogue terror cell before it can wreck the fragile truce and drag the region back to the darkest days of the Troubles. Meanwhile, Achill’s young protégé grabs his chance to join the fray in his place…Inspired by the oldest war story of them all, Michael Hughes’s virtuoso novel explores the brutal glory of armed conflict, the cost of Ireland’s most uncivil war, and the bitter tragedy of those on both sides who offer their lives to defend the dream of country.

New to the Parish


Sorcha Pollak - 2018
    New to the Parish is an important reminder that every migrant is a human being, and that every one of us has a story to tell.

Ireland’s Green Larder: The story of food and drink in Ireland


Margaret Hickey - 2018
    From the ancient system of the Céide Fields, established a thousand years before the Pyramids were built, right up to today’s thriving food scene.Rather than focusing on battles and rulers, Margaret Hickey digs down to what has formed the day-to-day life of the people. It’s a glorious ramble through the centuries, drawing on diaries, letters, legal texts, ballads, government records, folklore and more. The story of how Queen Maeve died after being hit by a piece of hard cheese sits alongside a contemporary interview with one of Ireland’s magnificent cheese makers, and the tale of the author’s day in Clew Bay on the wild Atlantic coast, collecting the world’s freshest oysters, is countered by Jonathan Swift’s complaint about dubiously fresh salmon being sold on the streets of Dublin.Beautifully illustrated and dotted with recipes, there are chapters covering everything from strong tea to the Irish rituals and superstitions associated with food and drink. With a light touch and a flair for finding the most telling details, Hickey draws on years of research to bring this sweeping history brilliantly to life.

The Earl in Black Armor


Nancy Blanton - 2018
    Wentworth is plotting to acquire clan lands of Connacht for an English Protestant plantation. To stop him, Faol�n must discover misdeeds that could force King Charles to recall Wentworth to England. Leaving his young daughter Elvy in the care of his best friend Aengus, Faol�n works as a porter in Dublin Castle, and aligns with the alluring Denisa, Wentworth's personal assistant. She, too, spies on Wentworth, but for very personal reasons. While Faol�n knows he should hate Wentworth, he admires his prosecution of pirates and corrupt nobles who prey on Irish merchants. Supremely arrogant and cruel to his enemies, Wentworth shows loyalty, warmth and compassion for family, friends and a few select others.A common mission takes Faol�n and Denisa from Dublin to London and Hampton Court; to York and Scotland; and to the highest levels of court intrigue and power. But secrets, fears, war and betrayal threaten their love-and even their lives. And as Wentworth's power grows, so grow the deadly plans of his most treacherous and driven enemies.

Mythical Irish Wonders


Mark Joyce - 2018
    While we’re lucky to have a treasure trove of legends and myths, many of these strange and odd stories have been lost over time. That is, until now.Within these pages discover how Queen Medb was killed by a lump of cheese and how Mad King Sweeney was turned into a bird. Learn of Ireland’s four magical treasures, including a cauldron that never goes dry, how the ancients divided the year into four, and how a bardic poem could kill ten rats and ended up influencing Shakespeare!This book is sure to delight people of all ages with beautiful, full-colour illustrations accompanying each entry. Join Mark Joyce, the bestselling author of Mythical Irish Beasts, on a journey through an ancient Ireland nearly forgotten.

The Pooka Party


Shona Shirley Macdonald - 2018
    A madcap tale of what to do if you feel sad and lonely, starring one shapeshifting hero with some musical monsters, flying cakes and a guest appearance by the Moon.

The Wooden Hill


Jamie Guiney - 2018
    This collection of short stories, by Jamie Guiney, explores what it is to be human at every stage of life, from the imminence of a new birth in ‘We Knew You Before You Were Born’, through to adolescence and the camaraderie of youthful friendships as portrayed in ‘Sam Watson & The Penny World Cup’.Ultimately, all of our lives stride towards old age and the certainty of death, as poignantly evoked in the title story, ‘The Wooden Hill’.

The Writing Irish of New York


Colin Broderick - 2018
    English In the ten years following the Great Famine Irish flooded into New York at an astonishing rate.  By 1860 one in every four New Yorkers was Irish, and by the 1920s Irish-American authors like Eugene O’Neill and F. Scott Fitzgerald had transformed the American literary landscape and lay the foundation for a century that would put Irish writing at the forefront of American letters. This series of essays by and about Irish-American writers traces that heritage from it’s humble origins through the twentieth century. Editor Colin Broderick provides background essays on Brendan Behan’s New York, Maeve Brennan’s heartbreaking decent into madness, Frank McCourt’s rise from school teacher to literary phenomenon, and 23 of today's top Irish-American authors—including Colum McCann, Peter Quinn, Luanne Rice and Maura Mulligan—provide personal accounts of how they found their voices in the Big Apple. Taken together, the stories provide a vivid portrait of a community of authors who continue to fight for Ireland’s place at the top of literary canon.  There is a fine green thread that binds them all. These are The Writing Irish of New York. The Writing Irish of New York includes original essays by: Peter Quinn, Luanne Rice, Larry Kirwan, Kathleen Donohoe, Daniel James McCabe, Mike Farragher, Malachy McCourt, Don Creedon, Maura Mulligan, Kevin Holohan, Kevin Fortuna, Christopher John Campion, Dennis Driscoll, Billy Collins (poem), Honor Molloy, Colum McCann, John Kearns, Charles R. Hale, Dan Barry, Seamus Scanlon, Brian O’Sullivan, Mary Pat Kelly, and Colin Broderick. And essays by Colin Broderick on: Maeve Brennan, Frank McCourt, Eugene O’Neill, Jimmy Breslin, Frank O’Hara, J.P. Donleavy, John F. Kennedy Jr., Brendan Behan and Oscar Wilde.

Eagle Country


Seán Lysaght - 2018
    Eagles are extinct in Mayo, or rather, they are absent, although suitable habitats abound, as do ancient place-names like "Eagle Peak," "Eagle Rock," and "Crag of the Eagle."Sean Lysaght first saw sea eagles on a visit to Norway in 2001 and since then has been captivated by their fortunes, and those of Ireland's other species - the golden eagle. For an entire summer he walked in eagle country, across remote hills and rugged sea coasts, in the footsteps of earlier writers, to see where eagles had made their homes before their extinction in the early years of the twentieth century. Along the way he kept a record of the journey: meetings with local people who shared memories and folklore; the companionship of friends and his wife, Jessica; the progress of the year in nature's seasons; reminiscences of the author's early life on holiday with his family in wild settings. Visits to several sites in Ireland followed - where eagles have now returned following reintroduction programmes where they now have a slender foothold. With a keen poet's eye for detail and expression and eschewing polemic, Lysaght celebrates Ireland's wild heritage and gives hope that, in time, these magnificent creatures will again have their place in Mayo, and beyond.

The impact of the Troubles on the Republic of Ireland, 1968-79: Boiling volcano?


Brian Hanley - 2018
    Beginning with the reaction to the October 1968 Civil Rights march in Derry, the book shows how thousands mobilized in solidarity with northern nationalists over the next four years. It extensively documents the reaction to Bloody Sunday, which culminated in the burning of the British Embassy in Dublin. It also shows how fear of the conflict spilling over produced a growing estrangement from the North and its problems. The battles between successive governments and republicans over security, the experience of northern refugees, the impact of the crisis on southern Protestants and popular views of the IRA are all examined. The bitter 'revisionist' controversy is also discussed as are popular cultural reactions to the northern conflict. Utilizing archival material, local newspapers and memoirs, the book engages with everyday responses to the Troubles. As the first book to deal in detail with this period it will appeal to general readers, academics and students working in Irish history, Irish studies and political science. It engages with questions such as censorship and sectarianism which continue to provoke intense disagreement. It provides a context, including crucially a chapter which examines the human cost of Troubles-related violence, for why the Northern conflict remains such a divisive topic in the Irish Republic. With renewed discussion about the Irish border and Irish unity in the context of Brexit, the book is a timely reminder of how the Northern conflict almost destabilized the southern state.

Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age: Confronting the Christian Problem with Wealth


Kevin Hargaden - 2018
    With nothing good to say to the rich, the New Testament--indeed the entire Bible--is far from positive towards the topic of personal wealth. And yet, we all seek material prosperity and comfort. How are Christians to square the words of their savior with the balances of their bank accounts, or more accurately, with their unquenchable desire for financial security? While the church has developed diverse responses to the problems of poverty, it is often silent on what seems almost as straightforward a biblical principle: that wealth, too, is a problem. By considering the particular context of the recent economic history of Ireland, this book explores how the parables of Jesus can be the key to unlocking what it might mean to follow Christ as wealthy people without diluting our dilemma or denying the tension. Through an engagement with contemporary economic and political thought, aided by the work of Karl Barth and William T. Cavanaugh, this book represents a unique and innovative intervention to a discussion that applies to every Christian in the Western world.

Gods and Mortals


D.S. Dehel - 2018
    Ghosts. Murder.Maeve Devlin has no idea what to expect when she travels to Ireland for a vacation, but definitely not the supernatural or an old god obsessed with her. What should be a fun time reconnecting with an old love interest first turns thrilling, then confusing, when two men seem interested in a fling. And what’s with all the birds?But when The Man with eyes like the sea— the man she’s dreamed of her entire life—appears, her life spirals out of control, and she’s thrust into a world of gods and heroes, magic and love. When gods and mortals collide, nothing goes well.Gods and Mortals, the first book in the Irish Gods series, introduces us to modern day Ireland, a place where the old and new exists side by side, and the old gods mingle with mankind. It tells the tale of Maeve Devlin and the man she was destined for, and the one god daring to claim her for his very own.

The Summer of Serendipity


Ali McNamara - 2018
    I fell in love with Ballykiltara!' - Cathy BramleyYou'll find a warm welcome in the latest novel from Ali McNamara, bestselling author of The Little Flower Shop by the Sea and From Notting Hill with Love, ActuallyOne summer, property seeker, Serendipity Parker finds herself on the beautiful west coast of Ireland, hunting for a home for a wealthy Irish client. But when she finds the perfect house in the small town of Ballykiltara, there's a problem; nobody seems to know who owns it.'The Welcome House' is a local legend. Its front door is always open for those in need of shelter, and there's always a plentiful supply of food in the cupboards for the hungry or poor.While Ren desperately tries to find the owner to see if she can negotiate a sale, she begins to delve deeper into the history and legends that surround the old house and the town. But for a woman who has always been focussed on her work, she's remarkably distracted by Finn, the attractive manager of the local hotel.But will she ever discover the real truth behind the mysterious 'Welcome House'? Or will the house cast its magical spell over Ren and help her to find true happiness?'Breathtakingly scenic, full of love, friendship, romance, magic... made me want to move to Ballykiltara right away' - Alex Brown, author of The Secret of Orchard CottageWhat readers are saying about The Summer of Serendipity'A really heartwarming novel' - The Booktrail'Make sure you pack it into your case for any summer trips you might be planning' - t*rexes and tiaras'A magical read full of mystery, romance and mythical Irish charm. This summery novel will make you look at your own life with new eyes and see that spark of magic in the stories that surround you every day' - Laura Bambrey Books'A book guaranteed to lift your spirits this summer' - charlenejess.wordpress.com'A lovely, warm and sweet read' - Bleach House Library'This book entranced and mystified me. I was desperate to discover the secret of the welcome house, just as much as Ren was. The book pulled me in and its mixture of fun and folklore kept me turning pages till the end' - Rachale's Reads'An enticing novel, bringing together a wonderful story, filled with friendly, realistic characters, gorgeous scenery, and a little bit of magic' - Whispering Stories'Another warm and funny love story from Ali and I highly recommend escaping with it this summer' - One More Page'This book is perfect if you are looking for a summer read for the holiday you're about to take or if you simply want to escape to Ireland for a while from the comfort of your armchair or garden lounger. Ali's writing is welcoming, warm and romantic. I love her and I adored this book (if you couldn't tell already.)' - Novel Kicks'Everything you need for a holiday read... it's humorous, it's magical and it's so full of delightful charm that you can't help but enjoy it!' - The Quiet Knitter'I had a feeling I would fall in love with this tale and that's exactly what I did!' - Fiction Dreams'I loved this book from start to finish' - Kelly's Book Corner'A magical and charming read, rich in scenery and community that'll make you fall in love' - Samantha Kilford'A charming and engaging read' - Cosmochicklitan'A lovely summer read...a gentle, rather charming book' - The Literary Shed'Truly fabulous, full of adventure, laughter and some great characters too!' - Miss Bookworm Reviews'Great summer time read' - The Gingerbread House

From the Emerald Isle to the Cream City: A History of the Irish in Milwaukee


Carl Baehr - 2018
    Irish laborers helped shape the city by cutting down bluffs, filling in marshes, digging a canal, and creating streets. They were joined in the late 1840s by more Irishmen who were fleeing the Great Famine and starvation in Ireland.It's a history populated with heroic figures like Patrick O'Kelly, the city's first Catholic priest and the founder of Milwaukee's first Catholic church; John O'Rourke, the first editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel; and Timothy O'Brien, who emerged as a hero during the cholera epidemics as well as other colorful characters like the scoundrel Robert B. Lynch, kindhearted Hannah Kenneally, the "White Irishman" John White, firefighting hero Patsy McLaughlin, and militia leader John McManman.And it's a tale of overcoming some of Milwaukee's biggest tragedies: the sinking of the Lady Elgin, which cost the lives of 300 people, most of them from the Irish Third Ward; the Newhall House hotel fire, which took more Irish lives; and finally, the Third Ward Fire, which destroyed hundreds of buildings and scattered the Irish to other parts of the city.This historical tour captures it all--from the difficulties in adapting to American ways, as seen through events like the Leahey riot and the lynching of Marshall Clark, to the successes, such as the founding of the city of Cudahy by a poor Irish immigrant, the film stardom of Tory Hill's Pat O'Brien and Merrill Park's Spencer Tracy, and the many people who have Milwaukee streets and parks named for them.From the Emerald Isle to the Cream City describes how the Irish influenced the political, educational, religious, and sports landscape of Milwaukee and their impact on other ethnic groups, overcoming early poverty and bigotry to help make Milwaukee the city that it is today.

April in Galway


Martha Reynolds - 2018
    April Tweed's reinvigorated acting career may suggest she's left her past behind, but some memories don't let go easily, even thirty years later. The most important person from her past has tracked her down in Ireland, where she's filming a miniseries. Past collides with present when April finds herself stuck between her high school sweetheart, Bill, and her persistently amorous co-star, Connor. Both of them are determined to win her heart as fresh starts war against second chances.

Celtic Cosmology and the Otherworld: Mythic Origins, Sovereignty and Liminality


Sharon Paice MacLeod - 2018
    Focusing on the latest research and translations, the author provides fresh insight into the beliefs and practices of the Iron Age inhabitants of Ireland, Britain and Gaul. Chapters cover creation and cosmogony, the deities of the Gaels, feminine power in narrative sources, druidic belief, priestesses and magical rites.

The Valley of the Squinting Windows


Brinsley McNamara - 2018
    1914-16. Garradrimna is a tiny village where everyone is interested in everyone else's business and wishes them to fail. Twenty years before the events of the book, Nan Byrne has a relationship with a local man, Henry Shannon, hoping to marry him for his wealth. She falls pregnant but Henry refuses to marry her. After a miscarriage, the baby is buried at the bottom of the garden. Henry marries another woman and later dies, while Nan emigrates to England and marries Ned Brennan. They later move back to Garradrimna, where the villagers rejoice in telling Ned about his wife's past.Ned is now an alcoholic, brought low by the humiliation of his wife's past promiscuity. He makes a little as a labourer, whereas Nan works every day at sewing to support their only child, John, studying in England to become a Catholic priest. However, she has become as cruel, petty and jealous as the rest of Garradrimna, and connives with the postmistress to sabotage Myles Shannon's chance at romance with an English girl, to get revenge on the Shannon family for rejecting her.John returns to Garradrimna for a holiday, where he befriends Ulick Shannon (son of Henry) and falls for Rebecca Kerr, a schoolteacher. Ulick and Rebecca have a relationship, however, and when Rebecca becomes pregnant she is disgraced and expelled from the village. Ulick abandons her and John murders him, weighing the body with lead and hiding it in the lake. Rebecca leaves for Dublin and an uncertain future. An old gossip informs Nan and John that she was there the night Nan gave birth to Henry's child - in reality, the child was born alive and was given to Henry and his wife - who they raised as their son, Ulick Shannon.

Bump, Bike & Baby


Moire O'Sullivan - 2018
    With her sights set on winning Ireland’s National Adventure Racing Series, she manages to maintain her post-natal sanity, and slowly learns to become a loving and occasionally functioning mum.In 2009, Moire O’Sullivan became the first person ever to complete the Wicklow Round, a 100km circuit of Ireland’s Wicklow Mountains, which has to be run within twenty-four hours. She is now married and the mother of two young sons born in 2013 and 2015. During this hectic time, Moire won Ireland’s National Adventure Race Series in 2014 and 2016. Bump, Bike and Baby is about this personal journey.

Healing Plants of the Celtic Druids: Ancient Celts in Britain and Their Druid Healers Used Plant Medicine to Treat the Mind, Body and Soul


Angela Paine - 2018
    Combining the latest scientific data on the healing properties of the herbs used by the ancient Celts with recent archaeological discoveries, written in a jargon-free, easy to understand narrative style and offering a botanical description of each plant, an outline of their chemical constituents, and advice on ways to grow, harvest, preserve and use each plant, Healing Plants of the Celtic Druids is an essential guide.

Frommer's Ireland 2019 (Complete Guides)


Jewers Jack - 2018
    Written by leading Emerald Isle expert Jack Jewers (he’s been writing Frommer guides to Ireland since 2006), it takes you to many places only locals know, along with giving tips and tricks for seeing the iconic sights…without having to hassle with crowds. Frommer’s Ireland 2019 is: Completely updated every year and printed in large, easy-to-read type Packed with colorful photos and helpful maps, including a full-color fold-out map Precise about pricing, with Euro and British Pound (for Northern Ireland) amounts listed for every attraction, restaurant, hotel, nightspot and shop in the guide—so there aren’t any nasty surprises Insightful about the culture and history of Ireland, so you’ll better understand the places you visit Also filled with no-holds-barred reviews, which will introduce you to the country’s most authentic lodgings (hotels, B&B’s, castles), eateries, museums, historic and nature sights Savvy about saving money, with tips that work for everyone from luxury-seekers to backpackers Mindful that your vacation time is limited, the book includes smart strategies for trips of differing lengths and for travelers with varying interests About Frommer’s: There’s a reason that Frommer’s has been the most trusted name in travel for more than sixty years. Arthur Frommer created the best-selling guide series in 1957 to help American servicemen fulfill their dreams of travel in Europe, and since then, we have published thousands of titles became a household name helping millions upon millions of people realize their own dreams of seeing our planet. Travel is easy with Frommer’s

Michael Collins: The Man and the Revolution


Anne Dolan - 2018
    It will probably have the effect of making them think that I am even more mysterious than they believe me to be, and that is saying a good deal.’ Michael Collins knew the power of his persona, and capitalised on what people wanted to believe. The image we have of him comes filtered through a sensational lens, exaggerated out of all proportion. We see what we have come to expect: ‘the man who won the war’, the centre of a web of intelligence that ‘brought the British Empire to its knees’. He comes to us as a mixture of truth and lies, propaganda and misunderstanding. The willingness to see him as the sum of the Irish revolution, and in turn reduce him to a caricature of his many parts, clouds our view of both the man and the revolution.Drawing on archives in Ireland, Britain and the United States, the authors question our traditional assumptions about Collins. Was he the man of his age, or was he just luckier, more brazen, more written about and more photographed than the rest? Despite the pictures of him in uniform during the last weeks of his life, Collins saw very little of the actual fight. He was chiefly an organiser and a strategist. Should we remember him as a master of the mundane rather than the romantic figure of the blockbuster film? The eight thematic, highly illustrated chapters scrutinise different aspects of Collins’ life: origins, work, war, politics, celebrity, beliefs, death and afterlives. Approaching him through the eyes of contemporaries and historians, friends and enemies, this provocative book reveals new insights, challenging what we think we know about him and, in turn, what we think we know about the Irish revolution.

A New History of the Irish in Australia


Elizabeth Malcolm - 2018
     In his landmark 1986 book The Irish in Australia, Patrick O’Farrell argued that the Irish were central to the evolution of Australia’s national character through their refusal to accept a British identity. A New History of the Irish in Australia takes a fresh approach. It draws on source materials not used until now and focuses on topics previously neglected, such as race, stereotypes, gender, popular culture, employment discrimination, immigration restriction, eugenics, crime and mental health. This important book also considers the Irish in Australia within the worldwide Irish diaspora. Elizabeth Malcolm and Dianne Hall reveal what Irish Australians shared with Irish communities elsewhere, while reminding us that the Irish–Australian experience was – and is – unique. ‘A necessary corrective to the false unity of the term “Anglo-Celtic”, this beautifully controlled and clear-sighted intervention is timely and welcome. It gives us not just a history of the Irish in Australia, but a skilful account of how identity is formed relationally, often through sectarian, class, ethnic and racial divisions. A masterful book.’ — Professor Rónán McDonald, University of Melbourne

Follow the Old Road: Discover the Ireland of Yesteryear


Jo Kerrigan - 2018
    Follow the Old Road will take you on a tour of a variety of pathways from great river roads to lost railways.Long before records began, travellers arriving on our shores found safe havens, natural harbours, the estuaries of rivers, and settled there, in sight of the ocean that had brought them to this land. Gradually they moved inland to more fertile soil, usually along the course of a river that provided both guidance and essential water supplies. In later centuries, great lords built their castles and monks their abbeys upriver, at the tidal limit. Some of the routes are still used today while others lie ignored and overgrown. Villages, and, later on, towns grew up around these castles and abbeys to serve their needs; towns that still prosper today.

Phantom Phantasia: Sea and stars to save a kingdom ...


Claire Savage - 2018
    Two secret missions. Three adventurers hold the key. Felicity has returned to Fairyland but discovers a kingdom in peril. Its borders weakened by the Enchanter’s experiments, the realm is slowly being consumed by dark magic and dangerous creatures. When witches capture her family, Felicity soon finds herself on another adventure with Bob the brownie, one which takes them to the very heart of the ocean – and far beyond it. In the shadowy depths lies a mysterious object that could save them all. The future of Fairyland is at stake – and time is ticking on … ‘Follow the sea and the mist and the moon, Go fast as lightning – not a moment too soon.’

Stacking the Coffins: Influenza, War and Revolution in Ireland, 1918-19


Ida Milne - 2018
    Stilling cities and towns as it passed through, it closed schools, courts and libraries, quelled trade, crammed hospitals, and stretched medical doctors to their limit as they treated hundreds of patients each day. It became part of a major row between nationalists and the Government over interned anti-conscription campaigners. When one campaigner died days before the 1918 general election, Sinn Fein swiftly incorporated his death into their campaign. Survivors interviewed by the author tell what it was like to suffer from this influenza; families of the bereaved speak of the change to their lives. Stacking the coffins is the first Irish history of the disease to include statistics to analyse which groups were most affected. It also draws on the memories of child sufferers telling their stories.

Cycling the The Wild Atlantic Way and Western Ireland: 6 Cycle Tours Along Ireland's West Coast


Tom Cooper - 2018
    The Wild Atlantic Way is a driving route along Ireland's Atlantic seaboard, covering over 2,350km of coastline and showcasing the region's breathtaking landscapes. This guide adapts the route for cyclists - and throws in a couple of other highlights (such as the Aran Islands and Killarney) for good measure.Since relatively few people are likely to have seven weeks to spare for a full Wild Atlantic Way tour, the book presents six self-contained cycle tours, each offering 7-10 days of riding. For the full Wild Atlantic Way experience, these distinct routes can be linked together into a 44-stage trip from Derry/Londonderry to Cork. Each route includes detailed advice on accommodation and facilities, plus optional detours and shortcuts and points of interest. The routes themselves are presented as 'route cards': ideal for use with a cycle computer, these pages provide 'at a glance' information for when you're on the road, covering navigation, facilities and local highlights.The guide covers all the practicalities - including transport, equipment and general tips on cycling in Ireland - and also offers background information on geology, plants and wildlife, history and culture to enhance your journey. The result is an ideal companion to discovering western Ireland, where magnificent scenery, a vibrant music scene and a warm Irish welcome await the turn of your pedals.