Recently Dr Peter Cherry retired from his post as a long time lecturer on the history of art in Trinity College. Among his other activities there was directing a seminar for final-year students on “Art and Religion in the Hispanic world”. Of essential assistance to his teaching programme at all levels was the nearby presence in…
Communal Discernment: A Lamp for our Synodal Journey by Michael Bach and Esdac Tea, edited and with an introduction by Brian Grogan SJ (Messenger Publications, €14.95 / £12.95) I am inclined to think that the Synodal process is as significant event in the history of the Church as was the Second Vatican Council. The Council was…
So much of what is on TV is froth, trivia and superficiality, so it’s good to see a programme that goes deeper. The Meaning of Life (RTÉ One, Sunday) returned for a new season last weekend, when the first guest was Sinead Burke, disability rights campaigner, businesswoman, fashion guru and teacher. It was an…
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…
There are many things that make me proud to be Irish – high on the list is our peace keeping service with the United Nations. On The Pat Kenny Show (Newstalk, Tuesday) security expert Declan Power outlined the work our troops do overseas, with particular reference to our peacekeepers in Lebanon, under pressure at the…
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…
Frank Burke (Peter Coonan) is a Dublin taxi driver attending the funeral of his father. Flash back ten years to his daughter’s eighth birthday party. He was pulling strings then to stay economically afloat. This brought out an ugly streak in him. Can he forgive himself for it and find peace at last? Exactly what…
Monasticism in Ireland AD 900-1250, by Edel Bhreathnach (Four Courts Press, €45 / £51.50) This volume arises from the Monastic Ireland project begun in 2011 and is a follow-up to Monastic Europe (Brepols, 2019), edited by the author. It provides an extremely wide-ranging overview of academic developments in the almost hundred years since John…
Peter Costello
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone