This is not an actual autobiography, for a hard working journalist has little time for that, leaving such things to politicians and pop stars. Rather it is a collection of articles covering Mary Kenny’s long and colourful career, her encounters with the famous and notorious in the events of her times, her special friends, and…

J. Anthony Gaughan Arthur Griffith (1871-1922) is one of the unsung heroes of the independence movement.  Dublin-born and a journalist by profession, his chief contribution to the struggle for independence was his political writing in the United Irishman and its successor Sinn FÈin. Griffith was an Anglophobe from his earliest years. He joined the IRB,…

By the Books Editor The heated public debate in Limerick City over the up-coming of City of Culture year and its administration has caused both delight and dismay. It may delight those who think that too much in these hard time is spent generally by the state on the arts. But this is a short…

With the new series of Sherlock underway to great fanfare on TV, all things relating to Conan Doyle and his great detective are in vogue. Here is an unusual take on the genre. Martin Booth was once a TV writer and producer, but is now a parish priest. This story which deals with a visit…

Eleanor Gormally, the author of Little Lucy's Family, which successfully relates adoption to the experience of the ordinary child, in this little book written rhyming verse, provides simple account of the moving yet still mysterious events at Lourdes in February 1858.  She relates how Bernadette was asked by her Aquero as she called the lady…

Sean Walsh was formerly head of drama on radio at RTÉ. He has written a set of three plays about the events of Good Friday which adopts the unusual device of keeping Jesus off stage, and focusing on the ordinary people of the day, Roman officials, prisoners, the condemned. It is always difficult to see…

‘Were You at the Rock’: the History of Mass Rocks in Ireland by Tony Nugent (The Liffey Press, €10.95) The Mass Rocks of Killybegs: Ten Pilgrimages to Sacred Places in Killybegs Summer 2013 by the Killybegs Mass Rocks Committee (Killybegs Parish Office, €15.00 + p&p;  tel.:  00353 (0)74 9731013) It is by one of those…

Frank Litton These days we worry about how the social media is affecting our relationships. Is the diligent Facebook user dodging the task of sustaining friendships for a less demanding and rewarding electronic substitute? If Facebook does little for friendship, its ubiquity bears witness to the importance of the idea of friendship. Friendship is important.…

J. Anthony Gaughan His Cork-based publisher describes Richard McElligott as “a Kerry partisan”.  That, however, does not prevent the author from providing a splendid account of the GAA in his native county. The earliest chapters are the most important. They describe consistent progress, but there was considerable chaos and confusion. Clubs were established, but some soon…

Democracy and Media Decadence, by John Keane (Cambridge University Press, €21.58 pb / £17.99)