Glossary: The previous century – the past hundred years; witch; myths – traditional tales; the great bulk – the large proportion; fables – mythic stories; assorted – diverse; fretful – uneasy; unique – distinctive/extraordinary.
Breidget Breathnach (Cló Iar-Chonnachta/cic.ie), Gráinne Ní Mhuilneoir (siopaleabhar.com) and Dharach Ó Scolaí (LeabharBreac.com) have proposed several books for summer reading.
Bibeanna: Written by Brenda Ní Shúilleabháin. Cost is €35; 350 pages; hardcover; ISBN: 9781856355438. Published by Mercier Press. Having been unavailable for some time, Mercier Press have published a new edition of this book which is paired with the Bibeanna television series debuted on TG4 in 2006. The book provides a captivating bilingual narrative, following twenty-five women from Corca Dhuibhne as they narrate Ireland’s transition from a destitute agricultural society to the contemporary era. Despite having heard about this publication numerous times, I hadn’t actually seen it until now when it has reappeared in a hardback edition. The captivating narrative contains biographical information about the female figures from the TV series along with a compilation of personal anecdotes recounted by them directly. siopaleabhar.com
The Shining Circle of the Day: written by Eilís Ní Dhuibhne. Price: €10; 130 pages; paperback; ISBN: 978-1-78444-255-2. The narrative in “The Shining Circle of Day” is a hybrid of autobiographical memories and fiction. It chronicles the coming of age story of Róisín, a young girl from Dublin’s suburbs, during the ’50s and ’60s. Her family consists of her father, mother, sister Brídín, and brother Conn, and they live in Ranelagh. The siblings attend an Irish-medium school in the heart of Dublin. However, the Ranelagh they know does not resemble the Ranelagh of today. In those days, it was primarily home to working-class families where plenty of residents lived with financial constraints. This fact is gradually unveiled to Brídín. The narrative gives a vivid account of a young girl’s transition to womanhood. cic.ie
Where can my spouse and I find adult content that is both erotic and within legal boundaries?
A historian sheds new light on Ireland’s struggle for independence in his latest book, presenting the idea that Ireland’s freedom was not fought for, but given. Meanwhile, a senior counsel for a debt advisory group has purchased an imposing Georgian mansion. Parents are lamenting the phrase “another €250 down the drain” as the cost of summer camp beckons.
In another sphere, a new chapter in the captivating story of Bláthnaid comes to life in Darach Ó Scolaí’s hardback, priced at €18.00. The narrative unfolds the tale of the king of Ireland, Cú Raoi, who kidnapped the enchanting Bláthnaid, a princess from the Isle of Man and how this act led to turmoil among the kingdom been Cú Raoi and challenger Cú Chulainn. The story emphasises how Bláthnaid used her wit to signal Cú Chulainn about Cú Raoi’s unprotected state at his fort. This novel perspective on the tale is based on versions by Darach Ó Scolaí and is available at Leabharbreac.com.
In literature, Alan Titley’s first anthology of short stories since his 1998 collection of 100 stories in Leabhar Nóra Ní Anluain, is on sale for €15. Although he never left the short art form, this specific collection includes seven award-winning Oireachtas stories, along with a wide range of new, unprinted tales, spanning diverse genres from traditional legends to romantic narratives. It can be bought at cic.ie.
“Amhráin Amhairgin” written by Máire Mhac an tSaoi is a testimony of her extraordinary linguistic and creative gifts. Priced at €18.00 and contained in a sturdy 48 pp hardback volume, the book has the ISBN 978-1-913814-55-7. The poems in the collection like “Amhráin Amhairgin,” “An Chailleach Bhéarra,” and “Amhra Choilm Cille” are evident of her exceptional command over language and syntax. An ability to skilfully manipulate language is required to fully comprehend their essence. Further information about the book can be found at Leabharbreac.com.
Pádraig Breathnach’s “Kiss My Ass and Other Stories” is a compelling examination of human interactions, marking his return to the short story genre after almost two decades. There are 232 pages in this soft cover collection, having an ISBN of 9781784442675 and cost is €15. The stories depict a variety of relationships – ones during their nascent phase or terminal end, ones that nurture or ones causing deterioration, and both, healthy and toxic interactions. The tales aren’t faint-hearted, they have a dark undertone yet show a glimmer of light. The book’s description can be found at cic.ie.
Simon Phelan took upon to translate the orthopaedic classic, “Medea” into Irish, priced at €20 and has made it available as a softcover text. The barcode is 6660012240012. The publishing house Coiscéim deserves applause for this ambitious project. The preface elucidates the play’s backdrop and the playwright’s life, and Phelan also provides a note on the translation process from Old to modern Irish. Readers should be prepared for a unique experience as they’ll be navigating Corca Dhuibhne’s vernacular adaptation of Irish. In the words of Alan Titley, the book is a “triumph in translation, drama, and poetry”. Further details are found at siopaleabhar.com.
In “Soldier,” written by Cathal Ó Searcaigh and priced at €16.00, a gripping depiction of war is brought vividly to life. The 312-page softcover book (ISBN: 978-1-913814-35-9) presents a graphic account of warfare via a young man from the Cloich Chionnaola Gaeltacht, involving visceral imagery of battlefields steeped in blood and poison gas. Although many Irish people were casualties of the 1914-1918 war, scant attention is paid to them in Irish literature. Searcaigh’s work breaks new ground as the first novel in the Irish language that tells their story, standing out as a potent anti-war narrative. Available at leabharbreac.com.
Furthermore, there’s “In the Drowning Hole” by Anna Heussaff. Priced at €15 and running to 350 pages, this softcover novel (ISBN: 978-1-78444-261-3) takes us to a holiday home on the Beara peninsula, where protagonist Colmán Ó Griffith, separated from Emer yet faithful to her, resides. His neighbour, Aoife Nic Dhiarmada, lends a helping hand as they strive to solve a mystery amidst a flurry of authentic leads and untruthful testimony. A suspenseful watch unfolds under cover of darkness. The question hangs – will they unearth the culprit before a second murder happens? This is a compelling novel, throwing a stark light on social discord and malice festering in the human spirit. It won an award in the Oireachtas Literary Competitions 2022. Available at cic.ie.
Last but not least, “Women,” penned by Daithí Ó Muirí and priced at €12, is a captivating new collection. Across 140 pages, this softcover book (ISBN: 978-1-78444-270-5) offers seven remarkable tales about women’s experiences. These narratives explore our unchecked nature and Ó Muirí handles this topic with flair and fervour. His works are sporadic, but well worth the anticipation. Can be bought at cic.ie.
“Trees and Shrubs: Authored by Máirín Uí Chonchubhair. Priced at €85; spanning across 762 hardback pages; ISBN: 9781527281301. Published by Dingle Publishing. The book is not less than an epic. To aptly put into words the brilliance and beauty of this book is quite an uphill task and can only truly be grappled with once seen. We can coin it as a true treasure trove of information. Though it seems uncertain whether Ó Chonchubhair holds a doctorate, her impeccable work in gathering and presenting intricate details about the trees and shrubs of this island (how they appeared to her during her lifetime) truly deserves applaud, even an honorary botany degree wouldn’t do justice. The book is beautifully bound and consists of vividly colourful prints on robust, top quality paper. With each page teeming with a wealth of information comprising of text, photographs, and artwork, it’s indeed a bitter-sweet tale. Available at siopaleabhar.com.”