Beers & Books CCLVXXXII – Irish Mystery Stories

Fine authors, nice anthology.

Beers & Books CCLVXXX – John Hume

Difference is of the essence of humanity.
Difference is an accident of birth and should therefore
never be the source of hatred or conflict.
The answer to difference is to respect it.
Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace:
respect for diversity.

John Hume (18 January 1937 – 3 August 2020)

Beers & Books CCLVXXI – Synge: The Aran Islands

The Aran Islands

John Millington Synge (16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909)

Beers & Books CCLVXX – A pity youth does not last

A pity youth does not last

Beers & Books CCLXV – Letters from the Great Blaskets

 Letters from the Great Blasket is
 the only book in English by any Blascadian author

Eibhlís ní Shúilleabháin (1911 – 12 September 1971)

The Great Blasket

Beers & Books CCXLV – Irish Writers / Anthologies

. . .

 

Beers & Books CCXLI – Irish storytellers

Published 1952

Ach, Croagh Patrick!

In a few minutes it will be August. And only a few minutes ago I became aware of it is the last Sunday in July. Phew. 37 years ago on such a Sunday I climbed Croagh Patrick on my bare feet, one week after this agnostic had "made" Station Island, and thus kept a second promise I had given to myself. Lovely remembrance.

Croagh Patrick

St. Patrick's Purgatory

Station Island

Beers & Books CCXXIX – The Letters of John McGahern

I think technique can be taught but I think
the only way to learn to write is to read,
and I see writing and reading as completely related.
One almost couldn't exist without the other.

John McGahern (12 November 1934 – 30 March 2006)

Beers & Books CXCV – Shoot to kill

This book is from 1985.
Today marks the 50th anniversary.
The murderers will probably need no Amnesty.
They will die without being tried.

Bloody Sunday 30 January 1972   

Beers & Books CLXXIV – Peig Sayers

“If curses came from the heart,
it would be a sin.
But if it is from the lips they come,
and we use them only
to give force to our speech,
they are a great relief to the heart.”

 

Peig Sayers (1873 – 8 December 1958)

Beers & Books CXXXI – Frank O'Connor

"No man is ever as anti-feminist
as a really feminine woman."

Frank O'Connor (17 September 1903 – 10 March 1966)

Ronny Drew's Guide to Dublin

 

Ronnie Drew (16 September 1934 – 16 August 2008)

Beers & Books CIII – Muiris Ó Súilleabháin

 

. . .

Maurice O'Sullivan (19 February 1904 – 25 June 1950)

Beers & Books LXIV – Seán Ó Súilleabháin

...

Seán Ó Súilleabháin (1903 – 13 December 1996)

 

Beers & Books LXIII – Seán O'Casey

The hallway of every man's life
is paced with pictures;
pictures gay and pictures gloomy,
all useful,
for if we be wise,
we can learn from them
a richer and braver way to live.

Seán O'Casey (30 March 1880 – 18 September 1964)

Beers & Books LIX – Lady Gregory

There is many
a man without learning
will get the better of a college-bred man,
and will have better words, too.

Lady Gregory  (15 March 1852 – 22 May 1932)

Beers & Books LVII – Tomás Ó Criomhthain

"Wouldn't it delight my heart
to be able to read a book of my own
before I died."

Tomas O'Crohan (21 December 1856 – 7 March 1937)

Writers: John McGahern

Beckett, Joyce,
Flann O'Brien, Edna O'Brien
O'Casey, O'Cadhain,
O'Connor, O'Faolain, O'Flaherty,
etc., etc.,
there're so many great Irish writers.
And there's John McGahern.

 

John McGahern (12 November 1934 – 30 March 2006)

Beers & Books XX

 

King Goshawk and the Birds

 
Eimar O'Duffy (29 September 1893 – 21 March 1935)