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Irish Emigrant Book Review, No.48 (July 1999)
Cold Steel by Paul Carson
- The compact nature of Dublin as a capital city makes it a perfect setting
for a crime novel, with all the places mentioned often familiar to the reader.
In “Cold Steel”, the author has intertwined murder and medicine in a chilling
account of drug abuse and manipulation, of the hunger for power in the political
and medical worlds. The leading detective, Jim Clarke, has long been attending
the Mercy Hospital following a bomb attack on his car, while Frank Clancy,
the hospital’s haematologist, turns detective when one of his patients dies
mysteriously and apparently needlessly.
It is the murder of 18-year-old Jennifer Marks, daughter of one of three
consultants brought over from Boston to lead a groundbreaking heart unit
at the hospital, that sparks the series of events which lead to the uncovering
of a labyrinth of corruption. Carson skilfully links a number of seemingly
disparate occurrences which take us from the leafy suburbs of south Dublin
to the drug-ridden “mansions” of the inner city, from the medical world
of Dublin to its counterpart in Boston. The ambitious and ruthless Linda
Speer is the apparent villain of the piece almost to the end, but the author
gradually reveals the identity of the person whose greed and hunger for
power has brought destruction and near-destruction to so many.
While not usually being drawn to the thriller genre, in “Cold Steel” I found
an exciting and well-told story which I read at one sitting.
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Moer Mischief by Kate Thompson
- Kate Thompson’s second novel, following the fortunes of actress and would-be
writer Deirdre O’Dare, could be described more as featherweight than lightweight,
and at least one person of my acquaintance gave up after only a few chapters.
The romantic entanglements of the heroine fail at first to catch the interest
or imagination, and it seems immaterial whether she plumps for unreliable
actor Rory McDonagh or the aristocratic and dependable Gabriel Considine.
In fact “More Mischief” is worthy of perseverance and although some of the
characters are stereotyped, in particular the two men in Deirdre’s life,
others show some originality. In particular the wonderfully pretentious
Sophie, fellow-actor and sparring partner for Deirdre. It is in Ms Thompson’s
treatment of Sophie that the book is redeemed, for its wild humour at her
expense. I particularly recommend the section in which Deirdre, Sophie and
Cressida discuss wedding dresses, and the conversation between Deirdre and
Sophie concerning a four poster bed.
It could be said that the dominant character in this book is the landscape
of west Mayo, where much of the action is set. Ms Thompson has obviously
a personal knowledge of the Westport area and writes about it with much
affection. This in some way helped to prompt my interest, not so much as
to which of the two men Deirdre would eventually choose, but how the author
would lead us to the inevitable choice, and this was achieved with skill
and imagination. “More Mischief” does not pretend to be a profound study
of human nature, but as light entertainment it succeeds very well.
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An Aran Reader - Ed. Breandan
and Ruairi O hEithir
- This re-issue of a 1991 collaboration between father and son leaves
the reader with a sense of familiarity with the landscape and people of
the three islands that make up Aran. Although Breandan O hEithir did not
live to see the original publication, he and his son had spent some three
years gathering material, both prose and poetry, which demonstrates the
varying reactions brought forth by a visit to Inis Mor, Inis Meain and
Inis Oirr as well as reflecting the thoughts of those who were born there.
The contributions are set out chronologically, beginning with Roderick
O’Flaherty’s 1684 description of the three islands as being “famous for
the numerous multitude of saints there living of old and interred”. A
number feature observations from visitors to the island, notably Somerville
and Ross whose description of a ball-alley built on a natural limestone
pavement underlines the continuity of the entries, for Tim Robinson mentions
the same feature in the final chapter of the book. Playwright J.M. Synge
describes the funeral of a young man during which the young man’s mother
keened over the skull of her own mother, uncovered during the digging
of the grave. Aran-born writers have a section to themselves, with Liam
O’Flaherty and his brother Tom featuring strongly, as does the poetry
of Mairtin O Direain.
The man responsible for introducing the Aran Islands to the world on film,
Robert Flaherty, describes how he was first given the idea of making the
islanders the subject of a film, while Pat Mullen, the islander who worked
with him, gives perhaps the most vivid and arresting description of all.
The determination of both Flaherty and Mullen to complete the film in
perfect conditions almost caused the death of four oarsmen, and Mullen’s
description of the scene, and of his own emotions as he watched the epic
struggle between man and sea, is among the most memorable in the book.
The people, the places, the legends of Aran are gathered here in what
Brendain O hEither hoped would “create a mosaic of island life and history
in the words of those who came to know the place as strangers, as well
as those who wrote of the life they experienced from childhood”.
Miss Harrrie Elliott by Marian
O’Neill
- This first novel from Ms O’Neill concerns the tentative effort at forming
a relationship of a 17-year-old only daughter who is sent to the big city
to take up employment. Placed in “suitable” lodgings by her rather distant
but demanding parents, Mary Moore soon meets the girl who is to have such
a profound effect on her life, and whose life she will affect even more
deeply. The eponymous Harrie is far more worldly-wise than Mary and takes
her under her wing, tempering the failures and humiliations of her days
on the haberdashery counter of a department store and teaching her to
use a sense of humour to overcome her unhappiness. Harrie introduces her
to the world of smart restaurants, dances and men, in particular Harrie’s
friend James, and here the light-hearted relationship begins to take on
a darker tone. The apparently na=EFve Mary reveals a manipulative and
grasping side to her nature which, coupled with Harrie’s intermittent
dark moods, leads only to destruction.
The two contrasting characters of Harrie and “Em”, as Mary is called,
in their dealings with the assorted residents of the boarding house and
the procession of possible boyfriends paraded for Em by James, move in
spurts from a comfortable togetherness to a strained distance. Em, both
possessive and obsessive, learns the truth about the house in which she
has been placed, and its other residents. The final outcome of her tussle
with James for the possession of Harrie is that neither of them is the
victor and all, indeed, lose what they most dearly cherished. This is
a novel imbued with the atmosphere of a bygone age, when lipstick was
frowned upon and young women dressed for dances in elegant ballrooms,
or queued to watch Greta Garbo as an escape from their humdrum working
lives; a novel whose characters remain with the reader long after the
last page has been turned.
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Too Long a Sacrifice - ed. Janis
and Richard Londraville
- This book comprises a collection of letters exchanged between Maud Gonne
McBride and John Quinn, a New York lawyer and art collector who used his
influence, both political and artistic, to improve conditions for Ireland
and Irish artists. The letters span a 15-year period from 1906 to 1921
and therefore encompass a particularly turbulent period in Ireland and
Europe. Brought together through their friendship with the Yeats family,
the two correspondents shared their thoughts on such topical issues as
the Hugh Lane collection and the 1913 lockout in Dublin. Maud Gonne became
involved in helping to feed the poor, especially the children, with generous
financial assistance from Quinn, and the work continued while she lived
in France to safeguard custody of her son Sean. The two major themes,
however, were the 1916 executions of many of her closest friends, and
the ravages caused by the Great War. However there was one positive outcome
for the family since Major John McBride was one of those executed, thereby
leaving them free to return to Ireland and bequeathing an honourable name
to his son. In the event the move to Ireland was thwarted by the British
who refused to grant Maud Gonne a passport. As to the First World War,
while Maud Gonne lived through the experience in France with Sean and
Iseult, John Quinn railed against the Germans, writing in one letter of
“The men with the spiked helmets....the fiends incarnate, the organized
demons”. He had no faith in the armistice and agreed with a French acquaintance
that the war would have to be fought over again.
These weightier matters are interspersed with the trivia exchanged between
friends, details of Sean’s illnesses from Maud are matched by mention
of dinner parties with John Yeats, Wyndham Lewis or Lady Gregory from
John Quinn, who also frequently sent gifts of books or apples to Maud
and her children. He also came to her assistance when she was imprisoned
in England and persuaded the authorities to release her on medical grounds.
As far as is known the correspondence came to an end in 1921, just three
years before the death of Quinn, but the careful editing and informative
notes to each chapter have given us a unique insight into political, artistic
and literary events in the first two decades of this century.
Women of Ireland by Myrtle Hill
and Vivienne Pollock
- This reissue of a series of images, by photographers both known and
unknown, is divided into sections under such headings as Education, Work,
Leisure, Religion, Health and Welfare. The photographs themselves, chronicling
life in Ireland for women of all classes between the years 1880 and 1920,
are a remarkable testimony to the diversity of female experience in those
years. Each section is prefaced by a short introduction while the photographs
are captioned in some detail so that the reader is presented with a real
insight into the lives of Irish women at the turn of the century. Some
of the subjects are more obviously aware than others of the value of a
photograph - the woman smoking her pipe at the Giant’s Causeway knew she
represented an attraction for tourists. In contrast the old woman taking
a break from the harvest for a bite to eat is exactly as she seems, overworked
and exhausted at the busiest time of year. Although the majority of the
subjects are unnamed, there are a number of photographs of noted Irish
women, particularly in the section covering politics. Here we see Hannah
Sheehy Skeffington, Louie Bennett, Maud Gonne and Countess Markievicz,
the latter in a particularly artificial setting. This is a book to enjoy
again and again, as each perusal of the varied images reveals more about
the lives of those who are part of our own heritage.
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Politics and Performance in
Contemporary Northern Ireland ed. J. P. Harrington and E. J. Mitchell
- (Reviewer: John McAvoy)
- This book consists of nine essays from different authors and is essentially
an academic tome (including references). The thread which connects the
nine pieces is the idea of performance, in the sense of acting a role.
In some cases this theme is certainly relevant. For example, the first
essay on Parker’s play about Henry Joy McCracken shows clearly the author’s
intentions and the play’s relevance to contemporary thought and action
in today’s Northern Ireland. Similarly, the final piece deals with the
part played by television drama about the Northern “troubles” and how
its reflection of social values has changed. In all, four of the essays
relate to the stated theme. In other cases, however, the thread seems
to be a rather tenuous link, as in the essays on policing and “forgiving
the other side”. These remaining five essays are, of course, interesting
in their own right but their place in this particular book might be questioned.
To this reader, at least, the essays which actually related to the overall
theme were interesting and well written. This was particularly true of
Richtarik’s item on Parker’s play. On the other hand, some of the essays
which did not seem directly related to the general thesis appeared somewhat
banal. For instance, in “Forgiving the other side”, we are told that Belfast
adolescents had greater difficulty than their Dublin peers in understanding
the concept of forgiveness. The conclusion is that the Belfast youths
faced more immediate and serious threats to their lives than those in
Dublin. An original insight. When the book is good, it is very good; when
it is bad....
Dublin City Parks and Gardens
by Moira Bowers
- From the Botanic Gardens on the Northside to Rathfarnham south of the
Liffey, Moira Bowers has visited a number of public areas, large and small,
and provided both a history and a practical guide to each one. As well
as the more obvious inclusions, such as the Phoenix Park and the Garden
of Remembrance, Ms Bowers also includes the less accessible places. St
Kevin’s Park, for example, near St Patrick’s Cathedral, is one of many
that began life as a graveyard and, according to the author, has the air
of “an old walled cottage garden”. Many of the capital’s gardens are commemorative,
the Peace Park, the Garden of Remembrance and Croppies Memorial Park being
obvious examples, while one, Dubh Linn Garden, has actually been used
as a helicopter pad. Not all of the open spaces are accessible to the
public since they were originally laid out for the use of those living
in the vicinity; an example would be Fitzwilliam Square, which is owned
by nearby residents. This is a useful illustrated guide to the recreational
areas of Dublin, giving as it does historical and botanical details as
well as a practical guide to location and hours of access.
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Discovering Derry by Brian Lacey
- Brian Lacey, an archaeologist and historian who has directed excavations
in Derry, has produced a colourful guide to Derry which focuses on both
the history and the attractions of the Maiden City. Generously illustrated
with drawings and both black and white and colour photographs, the guide
begins with an overview of the history of Derry from the sixth century,
though evidence exists of settlement in the area dating back to the Mesolithic
period. Particular attention is obviously paid to the pivotal years of
the 17th century, and the present century is well chronicled, including
partition, the beginning of the civil rights movement and the troubles
of the past 30 years. In the second section the author gives us the visitor’s
view of Derry, beginning with a street guide and including such landmarks
as the city walls, buildings associated with Derry’s shirt-making industry,
and a number of museums and churches. Mr Lacey also touches on the vexed
question of the correct naming of the city, without coming to any definite
conclusion, and finally ventures just over the border to note the historical
importance of Grianan an Aileach, the hilltop site which was the home
of the Ui Neill clan.
Battle of the Somme by Arthur
McKeown
- This Easy Reader account for children, of the experiences of Irish soldiers
in the First World War, is written from the perspective of a young Co.
Antrim farmer who answered the call to fight for small nations. Roy sets
off with a number of other men from his village amid initial excitement
which soon turns first to boredom then to horror in the trenches of France.
The carnage of the Battle of the Somme is simply but vividly recorded
and the final chapter links the past to the present in a manner easily
identifiable to young people.
The Shamrock by Bob Curran
- This history of the national plant of Ireland uses both fact and informed
speculation to trace the shamrock’s origins from its use in driving away
dark forces to its adoption by the Christian tradition, most notably with
the coming of St Patrick. Believed in the 16th and 17th centuries to be
a rebel food, inciting revolt among the Irish, the shamrock as a symbol
has crossed the political divide on a number of occasions, from the 1798
rising to the badge worn by RUC members today. The final chapter deals
with the artistic use of the shamrock, a plant which defied classification
for a number of years before being definitively declared to be four different
species of clover, by a Dublin civil servant in the late 19th century.
Temple Bar by Brian MacDermot
- Brian MacDermot has compiled a practical guide to what is seen as Dublin’s
cultural quarter, beginning with just a short history of the area. After
a general guide for visitors covering such areas as transport, currency
and climate, the author lists alphabetically the streets, shops, entertainment
centres, accommodation and restaurants to be found in this district of
central Dublin. Each listing is followed by an explanatory paragraph which
will both inform and help the visitor to plan which of the many attractions
of Temple Bar to include in his or her itinerary.
Hurling by Brendan Fullam
- This guide to the game of hurling is a mixture of history, personality
and practical details. The author, who has written three other books on
the subject, gives an overall view of the game from ancient times to the
present day, and includes its export through emigration to the US, Canada,
Australia and Argentina. A selection of teams from a number of great players
provides a cross-section of the notable names in the game over this century,
while the final chapter reproduces the GAA’s rules of the game. For those
unfamiliar with what is said to be the oldest field game in the world, this
book will prove a fitting introduction; for enthusiasts the guide will deepen
their interest in Ireland’s national game.
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