The Mole of Vatican Council II: The True Story of “Xavier Rynne”, by Richard A. Zmuda (Acta Books, US$ 29.95; available online through Amazon.us) Looking back the death of Pius XII, the election of Pope John XXIII, and the calling of the Vatican Council II were momentous events of the first order which still…
1588: The Spanish Armada and the 24 Ships Lost on Ireland’s Shores by Michael B. Barry (Andalus Press, €23.99 / £19.99) Legends of “Spanish gold” haunt the western shores of Scotland and Ireland, from Tobermory to the Blasket Sound. As his subtitle indicates a good part of Michael Barry’s space in his latest book is taken…
Another Day in Paradise: Stories of Transformation from the Camino and other places by Eddie Gilmore (Brimstone Press, £10.99 / €12.99) Eddie Gilmore will be known to many Irish people through his work with Irish emigrants, travellers and seniors in England, in addition to his activities with L’Arche, his principal vocation. His most recent publication last…
Every Day is a Fresh Beginning: Meaningful Poems for Life edited by Aobhín Garrihy (Eriu / Bonnier Books, £12.99 / €9.99) Once out of school and the demands of exams, most adults have little time for poetry. They are aware of Ireland’s poetic tradition, how could they not be. But these days most poetry seems to…
Rathfarnham Castle Guidebook, by Jane Fenlon and others (OPW, €5.00) There must be thousands of living Dubliners who have memories of Rathfarnham Castle as it was back in the last century under the auspices of the Jesuits, when it was a noted Jesuit seminary and retreat centre. The Jesuits, who had taken over the…
In Our Day: An Oral History of Dublin’s Bygone Days, by Kevin C. Kearns (Gill Books, €24.99 / £18.99) Back when the world was young I had “a friend next door” who always referred to “the olden days”, not referring to the Middle Ages, but it transpired to the days when his parents were…
Visualising the Celtic Revival: The Arts and Crafts movement in Ireland selected writings by Nicola Gordon Bowe, edited by Róisín Kennedy (Four Courts Press, €55.00 / £50.00) The late Nicola Gordon Bowe was one of the most distinguished art historians of her time in Ireland. She was widely admired for her books about the stained glass…
The Aztec Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Stories and Legends by Camilla Townsend (Thames & Hudson, £14.99 / €17.99) I have long been fascinated by the great civilisations of the ancient Americas, the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru, whose fall was brought about by the savage incursions of the Spanish conquistadores. The…
The Book of Iona: An Anthology edited by Robert Crawford (Polygon / Birlinn, £12.99) The remote island of Iona has a special place in the memories and affections of thousands of people in Scotland and Ireland. In my own case, I still recall, so very distinctly it is like a dream, my first visit to the…
What with the Olympic Games followed by the Paralympics, let alone the normal goings on and a clamour of French politics, Paris has been satiated by spectacle these last few months. There had been hopes of another kind of spectacle. It was hoped by many who had followed as well as they could the great…