Ray Gillespie’s Seventeenth century Ireland: making Ireland modern (Gill and Macmillan, 348pp, ?18.99/£14.99, ISBN 0717139468) is the penultimate of the six-part New Gill History of Ireland series (only Ian McBride’s much-awaited Eighteenth century Ireland: ascendancy and dispossession remains to be published; the other four books were featured in Bookworm’s Nov./Dec. 2005 offering). While most surveys … Read more
Soldiers and chiefs, the Irish at war National Museum of Ireland Collins Barracks, Dublin Tues.–Sat. 10am–5pm, Sun. 2pm–5pm (closed Mon.) by Tony Canavan This is an ambitious exhibition that undertakes to present the history of the Irish at war from 1550. It is suitably located in Collins Barracks, where it occupies 1,700 square metres of … Read more
Aiken: gunman and statesman RTÉ 1, Tuesday 12 December, 10.15pm Hidden Histories Directed by Steve Carson by Eamon O’Flaherty RTÉ’s Hidden Histories series is currently concentrating on a ‘founding fathers’ theme, looking at the lives of major figures in the formation of the independent Irish state. The latest offering—focusing on Frank Aiken—illustrates some of the … Read more
Project Kells—Tara: Ireland’s royal board game Tailten Games E30 murray@tailtengames.com by David Anderson The initial impression given by this game is very good. The box’s graphics and layout are well designed. There is no doubt as to what kind of game it is, i.e. a historical-type as opposed to a fantasy board game. Once opened, … Read more
GREATRAKES, Valentine (1628–83), healer, was born on 14 February 1628 in Affane, Co. Waterford, the son of William Greatrakes, farmer, and his wife Mary, third daughter of Sir Edward Harris, chief justice of Munster. The Greatrakes were among the smaller English Protestant landed families who settled in south Munster in the 1580s. Valentine attended the … Read more