The laudable career of Eamon Maher, a distinguished author, editor, collaborator, translator and series creator, is showcased in the celebratory book, “Getting the Words Right: A Festschrift in Honour of Eamon Maher”. Maher’s impactful contributions to Irish and Franco-Irish studies, through his creation of four distinct studies, a myriad of almost 220 articles and book segments, and co-editing of nearly 30 texts, is the central theme of this book.
The book is categorised into easily distinguishable sections: tribute pieces; chapters exploring Maher’s specialisations; and other innovative work. Through memorable interviews with Maher’s long-term collaborators, Alexandra MacLennan illustrates his way of conducting himself that has inspired a rich intellectual and institutional productivity.
Meanwhile, Patricia Medcalf compares Maher’s adolescence with Guinness’s marketing past, while the significance of the research community in honouring Maher’s role in Franco-Irish scholarly groups is unravelled by Brian J Murphy and Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire. Anne Goarzin discusses Maher’s combined efforts in community engagement through the lens of John McGahern’s works and academic relationships. Furthermore, two chapters dedicated to George Moore, a Tallaght/Tipperary native like Maher, are insightful and affectionate.
The larger portion of the chapters delve into Maher’s fields of competence. New discerning evaluations on John McGahern’s works study the significance of ceremony (Andrew Auge), intertextual connotations (Bertrand Cardin) and regional characterisation (Eamon Wall). Moreover, a range of Franco-Irish subjects are investigated, such as the French perception of Edna O’Brien (Grace Neville); the historical alignment between France and Ireland (Pierre Joannon); and the influence of French philosophy in Irish religious studies (Catherine Maignant). Contributions by Michael Cronin, Sarah Nolan, Anne Fogarty and Barry Houlihan delve into translation, while Vic Merriman and John Littleton acknowledge Maher’s fascination with religion.
This assortment of remaining chapters manifests Maher’s expansive intellectual prowess. Derek Hand delves into an often-overlooked short story by Bowen, while Sylvia Mikowski reflects on the portrayal of children in modern Irish literature. Marisol Morales-Ladrón investigates into biographical fiction, with María Elena Jaime De Pablos scrutinising trauma in Lia Mills’s ‘Another Alice’. Colette Bryce’s poetry is wittily dissected by Pilar Villar-Argáiz in her search for transparency, whereas Eugene O’Brien inspects Micheal O’Siadhail’s ‘The Gossamer Wall’.
This body of work will undoubtedly be of immense value to many academics, therefore serving as a fitting honour to a real powerhouse in the domain of Irish and Franco-Irish Studies. Professor Kate Costello-Sullivan, a specialist in contemporary Irish literature at Le Moyne College, attests to this.