Glasnevin Cemetery is an important place, but at the same time one which is little known.  How it came into existence has to be kept in mind.

The Holy Family in Egypt narrative by Nazmy Morcus, illustrated by Nazmy El-Kommos, with a preface by the late Dr Mamdouh  El-Beltaguie, Minister  of Tourism (Cairo: Ministry of Tourism,  no price stated.). In the West Christians of all kinds are often unaware of the feasts and festivals of their Orthodox and Eastern brethren in faith.…

Autumn Blooms: A Selection of Stories, Poetry and Parable by Paddy Glavin, Cyril Kelly, John Fitzgerald (Copies are available from Woulfe’s Independent Bookshop, 7 Church Street Listowel, Co. Kerry;  email: woulfesbookshop@gmail.com;  phone (068) 21021;  €12, with a special postage rate of €6.80). Listowel Writers Week, the premier locally led and sustained literary festival in Ireland is…

A Short History of Notre Dame by Ken Follett (Pan Books, £12.99 /  €14.99) On April 15, 2019 a fire in the roof space of Notre Dame de Paris appalled those who admire Paris and love the Cathedral. That great medieval edifice, begun in the 12th century, is a dominant symbol of the history and culture…

Spike Island: The Rebels, Residents and Crafty Criminals of Ireland’s Historic Island by John Crotty (Merrion Press, €18.00 / £14.99) Thomas McCarthy On a bright summer’s morning there is nothing quite as magical as the watery approach to Spike Island from its old naval supply-base of Cobh. John Crotty, Waterford-man, has been the latest keeper of…

Memory Near and Far by Éamon Flanagan CM (Published by the author at St Peter’s, Phibsborough, €6.00 plus postage; available directly nationwide from Veritas, and also through the Knock Shrine Bookshop.) It is appropriate that the  impressive city church of St Peter’s in Phibsborough should be in the charge of  The Congregation of the Mission,…

Gerald Boland: A Life by Stephen Kelly (Eastwood Books / Wordwell, €20.00 / £18.99) Enoch Powell famously wrote that “all political lives, unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture, end in failure”. The career of Gerald Boland was no exception. A senior figure in the Fianna Fáil party from its foundation in…

How We Survived and Surprised: A Collection of Writing by Polio Survivors in Ireland (Post Polio Support Group Ireland, €10.00 plus postage; contact Post Polio Support Group, Unit 319 Capel Building, Mary’s Abbey, Dublin 7; email infro@ppsg.ie; tel: 01 889 8920) From time to time in these pages we review books published in support of…

The River Healer and other stories: A Journey to the Heartland of America by Paddy Reid (Liberties Press, €19.99 / £18.99) During the long 20 years after the Second World War, the large American glossy magazines which circulated in Ireland then, such  as Life, Look, Saturday Evening Post, Good Housekeeping, and House Beautiful brought Ireland a…

Spirit of Revolution: Ireland from below 1917-1923, John Cunningham and Terry Dunne (Four Courts Press, €24.95 / £21.95)   The cover of this book is graced by a 1934 watercolour by Harry Kernoff, entitled Liberty Hall, Dublin, night: the street is scattered with a selection of typical working class Dubliners, a social group with which…