“Who founded Skellig monastery?” remains a moot question, as the lawyers say. The relevant contributors to this book have to admit that though the name of St Fíonán is associated with the early centuries of Skellig’s human history, who truly founded the monastery is an obscure issue. But it may be that light on this…
The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) celebrated its 75th birthday last month with its NCH concert repeated the following evening in Waterford’s SETU Arena. The events were not without administrative difficulties when original conductor Jonathon Heyward, falling victim to Covid-19, was forced to withdraw. However, stepping in at short notice, his replacement, dynamic Chinese Lio Kuokman,…
There is much debate about single-sex schools versus mixed schools, with our current arrangements favouring choice and diversity of school models. I listened with interest to the discussion on Drivetime (RTÉ Radio One, Wednesday) when Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Labour) was very much against single-sex schools. His view was based on equality arguments, but presenter…
A History of Alsace 1871 – 1939 by Liam Murphy (Kingdom Books 2023). Alsace and Lorraine have been described by historians as “the shuttlecock of Europe”. Both regions passed between Germany and France on five occasions. Alsace is located in eastern France on the west bank of the upper Rhine and borders Switzerland and Germany.…
Nine Lives: The Reflections of a Deliberate Diplomat by Donal Denham (The Liffey Press, €19.95/£17.95) It is rare if not unknown for a former Irish ambassador to publish a book about his life and times. Conor Cruise O’Brien gave us To Katanga and Back, but he had retired at Counsellor level and concentrated on his term…
Dancing with Loneliness by José María R. Olaizola SJ Messenger Publication, (€12.95/£11.95) The author of this book is a Spanish Jesuit, who is presently head of institutional communications for the Society of Jesus in Spain (which means in effect, when you think about it, the whole Spanish speaking world, which I realised during the translation…
At least two big occasions demand our attention this week – Lent and the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Songs of Praise (BBC One, Sunday) covered both of these really well. The programme came from the Lincoln area, with presenter Sean Fletcher, who described Lent as a time when people challenge themselves,…
On the surface it looks as if Zoe (Lily James) is commitment-phobic. She isn’t really. It’s just that Cupid hasn’t fired his arrows yet. When her mother Cath (Emma Thompson) tries to fix her up with a local vet, the nice but dull James (Oliver Chris) we know it just ain’t gonna work. She has…
In a recent issue some remarks made by the authors of a book on the future of the concept of the parish suggest some confusion about the strange history of Dublin’s cathedrals. I know that many foreign visitors are certainly confused as to why the city has “three cathedrals”. Of course the older cathedrals, St…
Searching for Thaddeus: Images of a Forgotten Irishman in Ireland and Italy, by Patricia Curtin-Kelly (Liberties Press, €20/£18) This is an interesting and unusual book, which will perhaps lead readers into new places to explore, not only in the remoter parishes of western Munster, but also in northern Italy. It focuses on the city of Ivrea, a place…
Peter Costello
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone