Outrageous fortune: capital and culture in modern Ireland Joe Cleary (Field Day Publications, e42) ISBN 9780946755356 Books that are assembled by drawing together a set of essays previously published or delivered as seminar or lecture papers by the author often suffer from a lack of focus or any sense of overall theme. Such books … Read more
The launch of Turas na dTaoiseach nUltach as Éirinn: from Ráth Maoláin to Rome, edited by Nollaig Ó Muraíle (Pontifical Irish College, Rome, 690pp, €75 hb, ISBN 9788890169212), in Dublin Castle on 21 November 2007 by another taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, had uncanny parallels with the original episode, but in reverse. Copies of the book (printed … Read more
Number Twenty-Nine: Dublin’s Georgian House Museum 29 Fitzwilliam Street Lower, Dublin 2 +353 (0)1 702 6165, numbertwentynine@esb.ie, www.esb.ie/no29 Tues.–Sat. 10am–5pm, Sun. 1pm–5pm, €5/€2.50, u16 free. Closed Mondays and two weeks at Christmas by Tony Canavan Number Twenty-Nine is situated in a historic area of Dublin that not only reflects the Georgian glory of the past … Read more
History as fairytale? Elizabeth: the Golden Age Director: Shekhar Kapur by Hiram Morgan Director: Zack Synder by Ciarán Brady This film is great fun but it is not history. It is an Anglo-Protestant present-centred interpretation of history wrapped up in Hollywood glamour, Harry Potter fantasy and Monty Python caricature. It is a sequel to the … Read more
‘Capitalistic Vulture’? Hidden History: Figure of Hate RTÉ1, 13 November 2007 Union Films by John Gibney There are a number of ways of looking at William Martin Murphy. Traditionally he appears in Irish history as the sinister ‘boss of bosses’ who faced down Jim Larkin and the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union (ITGWU) during … Read more