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Irish Interest -
all books listed below are either published by a local author, about
Wicklow or of interest to local people. Well known Wicklow authors
include Emma Hannigan (novelist), Sarah Webb (novelist), Catherine
Fulvio (chef), Anne Enright (novelist), Sebastian Barry (novelist),
Seamus Heaney (poet) Can You Manage? - Tim Healy:
Everything you need to know about managing club teams in Gaelic
football, hurling & other sports. This is a blueprint for managers
looking for a clearly defines, step-by-step approach to successfully
running a team.
Viva La Revolution - Derry Nairn:
Popular revolution has forged global superpowers, shaken empires,
brought a halt to oppression, upended social and political divisions,
established the first independent black nation and given birth to
legacies, ideologies and revolutionary idols that have had a profound
impact on the state of today's world. Viva La Revolution! examines 30 of
the most influential revolutions from across history. Arranging them
thematically, the book explores the defining characteristics of popular
revolutions and their unique and lasting power.
Reaching back into history, the book brings the story of revolution up
to date with discussions of major popular uprisings including the
American, Russian and French revolutions, and a strong focus on
contemporary events from the Colour Revolutions of the mid-2000s to the
Arab Spring of 2011. Structured around six key themes, the book gives
the story of each revolution, its context and its legacy. A perfect
introduction to revolutions both for the readers of military history and
current affairs, as well as a younger readership inspired by the
revolutionary fervour of 2011, Viva La Revolution! is an original
history of the world in revolt and an insightful exploration of the
compelling nature of people power
Citizen Dwyer: A Novel
- Sean McCarthy:
The story of Michael
Dwyer- the Wicklow Chief - a
revolutionary idealist, an
inspirational guerilla leader, and a
violent alcoholic. From his humble
beginnings as a Wicklow farmer, the
story of Dwyer's life takes him from
Ireland to Australia, from poverty
to wealth, and from incarceration to
freedom - from everybody but
himself.
This is a gripping & moving account
of Dwyer's life.
Born
to Perform: How sport has
shaped my life - Gerard
Hartmann:
Since 1991 Gerard Hartmann has
worked as a physical therapist with
many of the world's greatest
athlete's, including Kelly Holmes,
Paula Radcliffe, Moses Kiptanui,
Sonia O'Sullivan & Vivian Cheruiyot,
as well as with a number of Irish
rugby & GAA stars. Before a
serious injury halted his career as
an athlete, he was among Ireland's
first triathlon champions, winning 7
national championships between 1984
& 1991, and competing in the World
Triathlon Championships and the
Hawaii Ironman. 'Born to
Perform' is the extraordinary
story of how Gerard turned his life
around after injury by helping
others through their injuries to
success at the highest levels in
sport. It is a story of sport
& how it teaches endurance, balance,
drive & self-belief & how it can
heal.
Marian Finucane - the Saturday
Interviews 2005-2011:
The Marian Finucane Show on RTE
Radio is the highest rating weekend
radio show in Ireland. With
her signature interview style that
is both empathetic & challenging,
Marian Finucane's profile interviews
on Saturday mornings are a staple of
Irish radio. This book is a
collection of landmark interviews
from various walks of life with
different stories to tell. The
interviewees include Michael
O'Leary, Dermot Bolger, Mary
Coughlan, Roy Keane, Nuala O'Faolain
& Sean Fitzpatrick, amongst others.
Many of the interviews deal with
significant events that have shaped
Ireland over the past decade, but
others tell personal stories & are
concerned with the age-old themes of
love, suffering & death.
Nothing Quite Like It - Nicholas
Grene:
tells
the story of an unusual childhood. The child of academic parents, the
author was transplanted from Illinois to rural Wicklow in the 1950s.
While his classicist father continued to spend part of the year teaching
at the University of Chicago, he with his sister and philosopher mother
Marjorie Grene settled down on the family farm in Ballinaclash. With
this mixed background, he provides the sharp-eyed and affectionate
perspective of an outsider on his experiences of childhood and
adolescence; schooldays as just one of thirteen children in the local
Protestant National School; the day-to-day work on a farm still worked
with horses; the rigours of boarding school in Drogheda from the age of
nine; the very different scene represented by living in Belfast;
simultaneously starting college and farming on his own account. This
vivid and wryly humorous memoir recalls a vanished world from a unique
angle.
The Missing Postman: What Really Happened to Larry Griffen
- Fatchna O'Drisceoil: Christmas Day 1929
turned out to be the last ever working day of Stradbally postman Larry
Griffin. He never returned home and the only trace of him that could be
found was an abandoned bicycle on a country road. The story of the
Missing Postman as it became known, made the headlines nationally and
overseas, when ten prominent local people were arrested and charged with
his murder. The defendants included such pillars of the community
as two local Civic Guards, the school teacher, the local publican, his
wife and two of their children. For eighty years the doors of Stradbally
and the Garda files on the case remained firmly shut against anyone
trying to investigate the story. Numerous successful libel actions taken
by the former defendants, further discouraged media interest.
However all those involved have passed on. Government files, which cast
new light on the case, have recently become available, and in this
extraordinary new book, A" Drisceoil weaves the pieces of the puzzle
togther, using new evidence which paints a sordid portrait of lies,
half-truths, conspiracy, intimidation and Garda brutality
Out on Bail: The Crimes of Ireland's Bail Breakers -
Emer Connolly: Thousands of crimes are
committed by people out on bail every year in Ireland. There are dozens
of breaches of bail every month. While the vast majority of offences
committed are minor, many are very serious. Invariably, such
victims feel a sense of impotent anger. Some believe that the bail laws
need to be overhauled; other victims blame the judicial system, while
others feel that their grievances are ignored. Out on Bail gives a voice
to families who speak of the pain and suffering they have experienced,
while Gardai involved in investigating such crimes express their
frustrations at the system. Every case is different and has unique
circumstances. The general consensus is that if a defendant has a clean
record, he or she is entitled to be treated fairly. However, if there is
any evidence to suggest that he or she may break bail, then the issue of
refusing bail must be seriously considered
Next Generation Ireland - edited by Ed Burke & Ronan Lyons:
Ireland in the early 2010s stands at a crossroads.
The ongoing change and crisis in institutions that once had our trust
force us to ask, ‘What now?’ Next Generation Ireland
brings together ten young Irish men and women to answer this very
question. All are under forty and are emerging experts in their chosen
fields. They have come together because they believe that, in this time
of questioning, there exists a huge opportunity for the next generation
to build the Ireland of the 2020s and 2030s.
The book tackles the essential challenges confronting Irish politics and
society, the economy, the environment, and Ireland’s relationship with
the rest of the world. Each writer proposes transformative policies in
their respective areas that will renew and sustain the Irish state in
the coming decades.
Urging reform and policy transformation, Next Generation Ireland
marks the beginning of an interesting conversation. Do you wish to
participate?
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The Story of Ireland - In search of a new national
memory Neil Hegarty: The history of Ireland has
traditionally focused on the localized struggles of religious conflict,
territoriality & the early fight for Home Rule. But from the early
Catholic missions into Europe to the embrace of the euro, the real story
of Ireland has played out on the larger international stage. This
book presents this new take on Irish history, challenging the narrative
that has been told for generations & drawing fresh conclusions about the
way the Irish have lived. Revisiting the major turning points in
Irish history, Hegarty re-examines the accepted stories, challenging the
long-held myths & looking not only at the dynamics of what happened in
Ireland, but also at the role of events abroad. How did Europe's
16th century religious wars inform the incredible violence inflicted on
the Irish by the Elizabethans? What was the impact of the French &
American revolutions on the Irish national movement? What were the
consequences of Ireland's policy of neutrality during the Second World
War? The Story of Ireland sets out to answer these
questions & more, rejecting the introspection that has often
characterized Irish History - this is an epic account of Ireland's
history for an entire new generation.
Catherine & Friends (Inside the Investigation of
Ireland’s Most Notorious Crime) Pat Flynn -
Story of the investigation and trial of the
infamous Nevin murder, told by the Garda superintendent in
charge of the case, as well as details of his efforts to
publicise reports on Judge Donnacha O’Buachalla, investigated
for his preferential treatment of Catherine Nevin.
The trial and conviction of Catherine Nevin for
her role the murder of her husband Tom monopolised the attention
of the country for weeks. It was the main topic of conversations
in pubs, homes and workplaces as newspapers daily carried new
and salacious details of the ‘Black Widow’s’ scheming, as well
as images of her glamorous and expansive wardrobe, on their
front pages.
In the days before murders became a daily
occurrence in Ireland, the allegations of contract killers,
extra-marital affairs, fraud and involvement with Republican
organisations seemed better suited to the big screen than a small town
pub. Pat Flynn led the investigation against Catherine, a woman
whom he had encountered several times before these events unfolded. He
had previously witnessed her fabricate accusations of sexual abuse
against his garda colleagues while she continued to enthral his superior
officers and Judge O’Buachalla. He describes how holes in her
version of the events on the night of the murder were found, along with
evidence of how she had been plotting for years to have her husband
killed. Flynn also reported Judge O’Buachalla for granting Catherine the
license for the pub in her sole name through irregular channels, after
she had been charged with murder and rumours of an affair between them
had become rife.
Stopping by Woods: A guide to the forests &
woodlands of Ireland Donal Magner - this
book provides comprehensive guide to over 340 forests & woodlands open
to the public throughout Ireland. Donal Magner writes with a rare
insight about forests he has worked in & visited over the years as a
forester & journalist. It is packed with information not only
about forest & tree species, but their associated flora & fauna, history
& heritage. Stopping by Woods is a celebration & record of
this remarkable civic amenity.
Talk to the Headscarf Emma Hannigan
- Imagine you're 32, married
with 2 small children & you find out you are carrying a deadly cancer
gene? That was Emma in August 2005, when she discovered she had
the BRCA1 glebe which meant she had an 85% chance of developing cancer.
She had radical surgery over the following year - a double mastectomy &
both ovaries removed - which reduced her cancer risk to 5%. Cancer
struck anyway. This is her story of battling and slaying cancer 6
times.
'40 Great Tennis Session' Peter Farrell -
provides exactly what the name suggests: sets of
logical & progressive exercises on the major tennis skills. They
are laid out so that the book can be taken on court, and each drill
easily implemented step by step to ensure rapid improvement.
'The Lamp & the Lullaby' Bill Long
- Ireland's
longest-surviving
recipient of a heart
transplant, Bill Long
has been, at various
times: in the British
Navy, a journalist, a
cyclist, a public
relations officer, a
‘serious’ writer, a
broadcaster and
documentary-maker. He
has made over 200
contributions to RTÉ’s
Sunday Miscellany
programme. The
Lamp and the Lullaby
is Bill Long’s memoir of
growing up in County
Waterford during the
1930s and 1940s.
 Callsign Hades Patrick Bury
- In summer 2006 Helmand Province erupted into violence as NATO forces
struggled to crush Taliban strongholds. For six weeks the Royal Irish
Regiment and the Paras defended Sangin in the face of ever-mounting
attacks. At this point young officer Patrick Bury was learning the trade
of the infantry in the Brecon Beacons.
Paddy had always wanted to be a soldier - a desire fraught with the
contradictions of a complex history overridden by a 'warrior calling'.
When he arrived in Afghanistan with 1st Royal Irish, he was surrounded
by men oozing bloody combat experience. This was not Sandhurst.
It was extreme violence and killing. Hades Four One was his callsign and
the infantry mantra rang in his ears: 'To close and kill the enemy, in
all weather conditions, in all terrain, by day or night.' Over six
months, Paddy and his company dealt with over a hundred IEDs, of which
60 exploded on them, killing his comrades in the most vicious of ways
and fuelling a sense of ever-growing dissatisfaction in the young
captain. This powerful and thoughful first-hand account about the
'eternal truths of military life' places the reader in Paddy's boots,
sharing every thought, ache, smell and taste of life on the frontline in
Afghanistan.
He describes modern warfare in a way that creates an understanding of
the myriad complexities soldiers are faced with, the conditions in which
they operate and the moral and emotional challenges they endure.
 'Vet Among the Pigeons'
Gillian Hick -
This is Gillian's second book about her adventures as a vet in
Wicklow & with the Blue Cross inner city welfare clinic. Read
about her hilarious exploits as she encounters everything from
dairy cattle to turkey cocks; from 6 foot
snakes to snuffling hedgehogs, hefty bulls to tiny kittens.
Catherine's Italian Kitchen Catherine
Fulvio -
On the back of her success with her RTE cookery show 'Catherine's
Italian Kitchen' and now 'Catherine's Roman Holiday', this book is
Catherine's personal collection of recipes to brighten up Irish kitchens
with the delicious flavours of Italy. This wonderful selection of
vibrant recipes (beautifully photographed and presented throughout),
influenced by Catherine's long summers spent at her home in Sicily, have
been gathered from Italian friends and her husband's family in Sicily &
Rome, and perfected at her Wicklow Cookery School.
A Pint & a Haircut - compiled by Garret Pearse
- A collection of true Irish stories, from all over
Ireland, donated to raise funds for CONCERN's relief work in
Haiti.
All Irish life is here - from sport, misfortunes of various kinds to
heartbreak, love and diamond rings. A Pint and a Haircut
contains stories that will entertain, amuse, arouse our curiosity, &
best of all, convince us that the Irish talent for writing &
storytelling, combined in this volume, is as strong as ever.For more info, check out Garret's blog on
www.trueirishstories.com
New books about Byrnes & O'Byrnes The Clan O'Byrne of Leinster - AD 400-1700
: A compilation of available historical information
Paul J Burns
~~~~
The Byrnes & the O'Byrnes - Volume 1:
A new insight upon Irish history
Daniel Byrne-Rothwell
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The Byrnes & O'Byrnes - Volume 2:
A social history of the clan
Daniel Byrne-Rothwell
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'Keys to the Cage: How people cope with
depression'
Sue Leonard
The book comprises 14 interviews with men and women,
of all ages, from all around Ireland, who have been through depression,
anxiety and related illnesses. Through their sometimes heartrending
stories, it concentrates on the tools they used to help them recover.
The book includes an appendix with a list of all the therapies, support
groups and books that helped them. This important book will go some way
to breaking the silence and stigma surrounding issues of mental health,
and discusses how real people manage to cope with their illnesses on a
day-to-day basis.
€12.99 |
| Racing Round Ireland Fred Drew
With the Round Ireland Yacht race currently under way,
this is a collection of articles and stories (some previously published,
some not) about the Round Ireland Yacht Race which is held every two
years and begins and ends in Wicklow. The race is organised and
run by the Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean
Racing Club, the governing body for offshore racing. Recognised as
one of the most challenging events in the international offshore sailing
world it has attracted some of the world’s greatest sailors and some of
the most beautiful and iconic yachts. But the backbone of the race
is provided by the “ordinary” Club sailor, some of whom have competed in
the race ten or more times and the experience of some of these in the
1994 race form the heart of this book.
€20 |
| If Trees Could Talk - Wicklow's trees and woodlands over 4
centuries Michael Carey
Wicklow is the most forested county in Ireland, supporting a
sustainable forest industry employing over 1,000 people. Its
woodland history and culture go back many centuries and are
deeply embedded in rural areas throughout the county. Michael
Carey explores the evidence of former woodland cover and the
various tree planting initiatives carried out in the county
between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries. The uses made
of timber and the profitability of the industry during the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are also discussed and
include a review of documentary material related to the old
Watson-Wentworth-Fitzwilliam estate based at Coolattin near
Shillelagh in the south of the county. The progression of the
industry over the period is referenced to the overall social and
political evolution of the county and related issues.
Signed copies available
€25
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| 125 & Counting.....: A Photo Journey of Wicklow GAA in 2009
A compendium of photos from matches throughout 2009, from all clubs in
Wicklow, to commemorate 125 of GAA. A great momento.
€30 |
| Aspects of the War of Independence & Civil War in Wicklow,
1913-1923 Henry Cairns & Own Gallagher
€18 |
| The Life of Captain Robert Halpin Jim Rees
Born in a dockside tavern in Wicklow Town, Halpin began his seafaring
career at the age of 11. Unafraid of danger, particularly when
potential profit outweighed the risks involved, he ran supplies to the
confederate ports in the American Civil War. His greatest days at
sea were as commander of the largest ship on earth, the ss Great
Eastern. He laid 26,000 miles of cable, linking 4 continents with
telegraphic communication, making himself a fortune in the process.
This book is based mainly on Halpin's private papers.
€14.95 |
| A Farewell to Famine Jim Rees
In 1850, an aging priest named Fr Thomas Hore led a group of over
1000 people from their homes in counties Wicklow & Wexford to start new
lives in the American mid-west. This was no blind flight from
famine, but a concerted attempt organised by the Bishop of Little Rock
to establish an Irish Catholic colony in Arkansas. A series of
setbacks broke the cohesion of the group, which splintered into 6,
settling in places as diverse as New Orleans, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri,
and Iowa. A Farewell to Famine follows the groups
progress from their departure from Ireland to their brief stay in
Liverpool & the Atlantic voyage. More importantly, it shows the
other side of the famine emigration experience-what happened to
individual families, as well as the group as a whole when they reached
America.
€14.99 |
| The Trial of Billy Byrne of Ballymanus Billy Byrne
was 1 of the most romantic figures of the 1798 rebellion. His
monument in front of the courthouse in which he was tried in Wicklow
symbolises the noble figure of folklore. But just what was his
role in the rebellion? Shortly after his trial in 1799 an edited
version of the transcript was published in Dublin. Now, the for
first time in almost 200 years, that transcript is re-issued to give a
wider readership an opportunity to judge for themselves Byrne's role in
the rebellion.
€9.95 |
| Exploring Wicklow's Rebel Past 1798-1803
Ruan O'Donnell
The events which took place between 1798 & 1803, when Irish rebels
attempted to seize power from the colonial government, has left a
lasting mark on the people & landscape of County Wicklow. The
rugged mountains formed a place of refuge for the United Irishmen, from
where they could organise raids on the lowlands that surrounded them.
Reel leaders such as Billy Byrne, Joseph Holt & Michael Dwyer became
heroes during this time. This book brings the Wicklow landscape of
1798-1803 to life. With 24 sites of interest listed, both in the
towns & the mountains & easy to follow maps, you can plan a route around
the county to suit you.
€10 |
| The Wicklow War Dead Tom & Seamus Burnell
A comprehensive list of those from County Wicklow who died during the
First and Second World Wars
The Wexford War Dead
Tom Burnell & Margaret Gilbert
€20 |
| The Wicklow World of Elizabeth Smith, 1840-1850 150
years ago, Elizabeth Smith, the Scottish born wife of a west Wicklow
landlord, was keeping a daily record of household, local, national and
even international events, written primarily for her children as they
grew up. The views expressed are therefore totally frank &
uninhibited. This volume represents an extract from her journal
written at Baltiboys House, near Blessington and so covers both the
pre-famine years and the famine itself. This book is not primarily
about the famine, but rather contemporary account of everyday life in
mid-19th Century Ireland
€20 |
| Newcastle down the years Canon Robert Jennings
€5 |
| 12 Lives- A Baker's Dozen: Life stories of residents &
day care clients of Kylemore House, Bray, Co. Wicklow €10 |
| Wicklow- History & Society Ken Hannigan & William
Nolan
The definitive history of Co Wicklow
€60 |
| Tales of the Wicklow Hills 2000 Years of History, Legend, & Local
Stories
Richard Marsh
'The Naming of Baltinglass', 'Saint Kevin & Glendalough' , 'Michael
Dwyer, the last 1798 freedom fighter' and many more tales of history,
myth, legend & folklore & true local stories of hidden treasure,
strokes, revenge, mystery, ghosts, saints & sinners......
€10 |
| The Liam Price Notebooks- The placenames, antiquities &
topography of County Wicklow (Volumes 1&2) €50 |
| An Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of County
Wicklow €12 |
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