You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
'I'm just a nitwit girl who's sort of stumbling through life learning that we all have our own roads to walk - but that it's still valuable, and rather lovely, to hear about other people's journeys...' Filled with honesty, wit and wisdom, Fully Functioning Human (Almost) - part memoir, part life guide - will show you the real Melanie Murphy: warm, fun, positive, honest, a girl who's got this whole adult thing down. Almost. Irish YouTuber Melanie Murphy regularly chronicles the ups and downs of her life on her popular channel, discussing topics such as sexuality, skincare, social media and self-esteem. Now, in her first book, she looks with her trademark humour and down-to-earth honesty at the experiences that have shaped her. From learning how to manage her online life, to giving up on the idea of perfection, living with anxiety and the lessons she has learned about relationships, Mel shows us that difficult times can teach us the most about who we are, and by learning to value ourselves, we can overcome whatever life throws at us.
A provocative look at how grassroots GAA interacts with life in Ireland, from the wittiest Gaelic games pundit at work today The GAA is Ireland's largest civil society organisation, woven into the fabric of families and communities - and yet most books about Gaelic games focus on the greatest players and inter-county teams. This is the Life is a book about the 99%: a witty and provocative look at grassroots GAA from the most intelligent and interesting Gaelic games pundit at work today. Ciarán Murphy - of Second Captains and the Irish Times - has an unmatched feel for the timeless elements of this world and a finger on the pulse of change. He looks at the plight of rural clubs that are losi...
Richie Bennis is one of the true legends remaining in the game of hurling. A towering figure in Limerick GAA, he played a central role as the county won the All-Ireland title in 1973 and then he strived as hard as anyone to see the Liam MacCarthy Cup return to the Treaty County.It was a wait of 45 years - during which time Bennis worked at grassroots hurling in the famed Patrickswell club, where he hurled into his 40s and won 10 county titles. He also led Limerick as team manager to the 2007 All-Ireland final where they lost to Kilkenny.In 2018, Limerick were crowned All-Ireland champions.For Richie Bennis, a long agonising wait ended. His story is one of triumph, and heartache and personal tragedy, and a courage that was never dimmed.
Winner of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 'A gritty, modern Romeo and Juliet told by a compelling and original voice' Independent 'He is a tremendous storyteller ... a cracking debut, as moving as it is entertaining' New York Times _____________________ Charlie has a story to tell, about his best friends Sinéad and James and the bad things that happened. But he can't tell it yet, at least not 'til he's worked out where the beginning is. Because is the beginning long ago when Sinéad first spoke up for him after Charlie got in trouble at school for the millionth time? Or was it later, when Sinéad and James followed the music and found each other? Or was it later still on that terrible night when something unspeakable happened and someone chose to turn a blind eye? This is the story of the dark heart of an Irish village, of how daring to be different can be dangerous and how there is nothing a person will not do for love. This is the story of the Gamal.
Readers who loved the fictional Jo March in Little Women will love this thrilling memoir by New York Times journalist Jo Thomas, a real-life Jo March who refused to give up when men said journalism was not for a woman. Jo was a young housewife when she first went to work for an Ohio newspaper that had not hired a woman in 20 years. The men shunned her, but she discovered people and issues they ignored and wrote about them. Follow her through ruined neighborhoods in Cincinnati, the underworld of Detroit, the office of a scientist who did covert experiments for the CIA, the admiral responsible for finding survivors of America’s nuclear tests, the Cuban side of the Mariel boatlift, Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and the white right-wing enclaves in the American heartland after the Oklahoma City bombing. At home, Jo loses and gains a family. At work, she never becomes “One of the boys.” Her story speaks to the struggles of women of all ages. Come along for the journey.
Erin wants a fresh start. With her thirtieth birthday coming up, she's taken a long hard look at her life (the job she hates, the wedding she just cancelled) and concluded that it's basically a mess. If only she knew where to begin. A trip to her hometown in Ireland to visit her beloved grandmother is a welcome escape from her disappointments. But, there, Erin also finds an unexpected solution to her problems, in the form of a magical family heirloom. No more of the 'what ifs' she's been tormenting herself with -- now all she needs to do is whisper two little words and she'll be able to see for herself what might have been, had she chosen a different path. But as Erin gets caught up in one 'if only' after another, changing her life proves more complicated than expected. And she starts to realise that, by chasing dreams and searching for an easy fix, she might be missing out on what's right in front of her...
'You might never have seen a hurling game in your life but within ten minutes of seeing Brian Corcoran play, you'd know and say, 'That man with that helmet is special.' He just has an authority, a grace, a presence that elevates him from everything else which surrounds him.' - Ger LoughnaneThe year 2006 was about more than an historic three-in-a-row bid for the Cork hurlers; it marked the last year in the inter-county career of probably the county's finest and most revered hurler of the past 20 years. In EVERY SINGLE BALL, Brian Corcoran gives us a riveting insight into the workings of the most professional team the GAA has ever known as they marched towards hurling immortality. He also take...
Mythical Ireland embodies the search for a soul among Ireland's ancient ruins, and is an attempt to retrieve something of deeper import from 5,000-year-old megalithic monuments and their associated myths. The book represents a fascinating and engaging journey through time, landscape and the human spirit. Dealing with archaeology, interpretive mythography, cosmology and cosmogony, the book attempts to grapple with a core meaning, something beyond the functional interpretations of academia. In this revised and expanded edition, Anthony Murphy delves further into the many enthralling aspects of this journey. Just how much knowledge did locals have of the secrets of Newgrange before it was excav...
This book seeks to understand why almost all commentators on the Irish economy were unprepared for the scale of the recent economic crisis. It analyses the public contributions from a broad range of observers, including domestic and international agencies, academics, the newspapers and politicians. This approach gives new insights into the analytical and institutional shortfalls that inhibited observers from recognising the degree of the risk. The book demonstrates that most commentators were either impeded in what they could say, or else lacked the expertise to challenge the prevailing view. The findings have significant implications for a broad range of institutions, particularly the media and the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament).
UVF: Behind the Mask is the gripping new history of the Ulster Volunteer Force from its post-1965 incarnation to the present day. Aaron Edwards blends rigorous research with unprecedented access to leading members of the UVF to unearth the startling inner-workings of one of the world’s oldest and most ruthless paramilitary groups. Through interviews with high-profile UVF leaders, such as Billy Mitchell, David Ervine, Billy Wright, Billy Hutchinson and Gary Haggarty, as well as their loyalist rivals including Johnny Adair, Edwards reveals the grisly details behind their sadistic torture and murder techniques and their litany of high-profile atrocities: McGurk’s Bar, the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, the Miami Showband massacre and the Shankill Butchers’ serial-killing spree, amongst others. Edwards’ life and career has led him to the centre of the UVF’s long, dark underbelly; in this defining work he offers a comprehensive and authoritative study of an armed group that continues to play a pivotal role in Northern Irish society.