Described as an eccentric opportunist, ‘Mr Charles, the Hungarian’ came to Dublin in March 1742 when he tried to steal a march on George Frideric Handel who had arrived in the city some months earlier. Taking up residence in Abbey Street, Handel remained in Dublin until the following August. During this time he finished his…
One of the many concerning news items last week was the decision of the US government to supply cluster bombs to Ukraine. And this was after they had previously condemned Russia’s use of these weapons, banned in 123 countries (not including the USA or Russia), because of their indiscriminate nature and the dangers they pose…
‘Irish Explorers of the Jordan Rift Valley and the Euphrates Valley in the 1830s: Scientific Adventure and Imperialism’, in George Moore: Dublin, Paris, Hollywood, by Haim Goren, edited by Conor Montague and Adrian Frazier (Irish Academic Press, €26.99 pb/ €44.99 hb) I was recently given this book as a present from someone who knew…
A Quest for Meaning: A Journey Through Philosophy, Science and Spirituality, by Gearóid Ó Donnchadha (Orpen Press, €14.99/ £12.99) This is a stimulating book by an author who in his lifetime as a teacher invited and delighted in argument and debate. Gearóid Ó Donnchadha was a very committed priest and a very committed academic. Born on…
I know media outlets have to report the bad news, but sometimes I question the priorities and the prominence. So, it’s welcome to hear a good news story, with people at their inspiring best. The story of Sr Helen Culhane on Drivetime (RTÉ Radio One, Wednesday) fit the bill. A Sister of Mercy in every…
Books Editor This year’s Gerard Manley Hopkins International Festival will take place in Newbridge College, Co. Kildare from July 21 to 27 inclusive. It should not be missed. The festival has been held every last week in July since 1987, an unmatched record in Ireland. It celebrates, of course, one of the greatest of Victorian…
While We Watched (15A) is an engrossing documentary from director Vinay Shukla (An Insignificant Man) that shines a laser beam into a dark porthole of India. It follows veteran TV reporter Ravish Kumar into dangerous territory as he struggles with Hindu nationalists and other forces seeking to silence him. Kumar has won many prizes for…
More Book Reviews 1896-2023 by J. Anthony Gaughan (Kingdom Books, €24.00/ £21.00) J. Anthony Gaughan is one of our regular reviewers and has been for many years. This is the second and concluding collection of his book reviews of all over the years since 1975. Many of these reviews appeared in these pages, but by no…
The Contemporary Woman: Can she really have it all, by Michele Guinness (Hodder, £10.99/ €12.99) Author Michele Guinness is one of the Guinness clan, the Anglo-Irish brewing family of longstanding fame, but only by marriage. Back in 1999 she wrote a widely selling family history called The Guinness Spirit, which many found both entertaining and…
The Douai Martyrs, by Gerard Skinner (Gracewing Publishing, £14.99/ €17.99) Gerard Skinner, who once studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and later at the Venerable English College in Rome. He is the author of many books, including the valuable Newman the Priest. Here, however, he turns to a theme which should perhaps…
Brendan O’Regan
Peter Costello
Aubrey Malone