From Clery's Clock to Wanderly Wagon


Book Description

Kerrygold butter. The Dublin Spire. The Buntús Cainte booklet. The DeLorean sports car. All of these things are an indisputable part of Irish history, yet never quite made the school curriculum. Damian Corless uses his trademark wit to trawl through our past and capture fleeting moments on the way to modern Ireland. Old reliables like the Angelus Bell, the Aran sweater, the shillelagh and the Jack Charlton mug spring fresh surprises. This is a seriously entertaining ramble through an alternative history of Ireland that you weren't taught at school. Also by this author: Looks Like Rain: 9,000 Years of Irish Weather




O'Connell Street


Book Description

O'Connell Street is at the heart of Dublin. It has been through name changes and revolutions, destruction and rebuilding and remained at the heart of the story of Ireland for centuries. Nicola Pierce explores the people, the history, the buildings and the stories behind the main street in our capital city. Packed with stories of the people connected to the streets, from the subjects of the statues, to the sculptors that created them, from those who owned and developed the street since the days of St Mary's Abbey in 1147, to those who worked and lived there through the centuries and all the drama and scandals that went on both on the street and behind closed doors. O'Connell Street will also feature more personal, anecdotal stories of the cinemas, meeting under Clery's clock, buying engagement rings at The Happy Ring House, witnessing motorcades such as the Apollo XIII coming down the street, the heyday of film stars staying at the Gresham, and scandals and murders on the street.




Hopscotch and Queenie-i-o


Book Description

Before the 1970s flipped the switch to colour, Irish children ere raised in a world of black, white and an awful lot of grey. But kids, being kids, found endless ways to have fun. Do you remember Dáithí Lacha, Radio Caroline and holidays in Butlin's Mosney? Then this is the book for you! Damian Corless takes us on a tongue-in-cheek trip down memory lane to the age of Let's Draw With Bláithín, instant mashed potato and 'Yellow Submarine'. Set against a backdrop of the space race and the miniskirt, this is a delightful celebration of the days we thought would never end (and some we're glad are gone forever).




Dublin Strolls


Book Description

This handy guide to Dublin's architecture is filled with easy-to-follow walks through the city, with clear maps, expert architectural insights and fascinating historical detail. Dublin's long history has had a visible impact on its architecture: waves of invaders and the attempts by Dubliners to shake them off have left their mark, with the 1916 Easter Rising, for example, having left whole parts of the city in ruins. It was not all strife, however: the Georgian era saw gracious streets and squares being laid out. This book invites you to emulate Leopold Bloom in strolling through the city. Each walk follows on from the one before and gives clear architectural descriptions, accompanied by beautiful hand-drawn illustrations. Discover: - Hidden Dublin (including Isolde's Tower, the remains of a 13th-century defence tower discovered in the 1990s along with the skulls of a number of young men whose heads had been displayed on spikes) - Religious buildings (from Christ Church to the burial place of St Valentine) - The buildings involved in the 1916 Rising (including the Royal College of Surgeons, City Hall, Liberty Hall, Kilmainham Gaol and, of course, the GPO). "Stands apart from similar guide books to Dublin principally for its high level of architectural detail on the city's buildings and its tasteful architectural sketches." – The Irish Times. "Uncovers some fascinating – and forgotten – histories." – Irish Independent. "Not only a guide to some slick architectural trails around the city, but also an absolute MINE of titbits about our fantastic city." – Lovin' Dublin. "A vibrant treasure hunt." – Dublin Inquirer. "Enlightening and inspiring." – The Herald




A Post-Nationalist History of Television in Ireland


Book Description

This book explores the question of how society has changed with the introduction of private screens. Taking the history of television in Ireland as a case study due to its position at the intersection of British and American media influences, this work argues that, internationally, the transnational nature of television has been obscured by a reliance on institutional historical sources. This has, in turn, muted the diversity of audience experiences in terms of class, gender and geography. By shifting the focus away from the default national lens and instead turning to audience memories as a key source, A Post-Nationalist History of Television in Ireland defies the notion of a homogenous national television experience and embraces the diverse and transnational nature of watching television. Turning to people’s memories of past media, this study ultimately suggests that the arrival of the television in Ireland, and elsewhere, was part of a long-term, incremental change where the domestic and the intimate became increasingly fused with the global.




Five Irish Women


Book Description

The book offers five interlinked portraits of Irish women artists and political figures: Edna O'Brien, Sinéad O'Connor, Nuala O'Faolain, Bernadette McAliskey and Anne Enright.







A History of Ireland in 100 Objects


Book Description

The Irish Times literary editor Fintan O'Toole selects 100 objects to narrate a history of Ireland.




The Transformation Of Ireland 1900-2000


Book Description

A ground-breaking history of the twentieth century in Ireland, written on the most ambitious scale by a brilliant young historian. It is significant that it begins in 1900 and ends in 2000 - most accounts have begun in 1912 or 1922 and largely ignored the end of the century. Politics and political parties are examined in detail but high politics does not dominate the book, which rather sets out to answer the question: 'What was it like to grow up and live in 20th-century Ireland'? It deals with the North in a comprehensive way, focusing on the social and cultural aspects, not just the obvious political and religious divisions.




The Great Chronicle of London


Book Description