Refiguring Ireland: essays in honour of L.M. Cullen David Dickson and Cormac Ó Gráda (eds) (Lilliput Press, €60) ISBN 1901866 84X It is said that you can judge a man by the company he keeps. It certainly applies in the case of this volume of essays published to honour the work of Louis Cullen, one … Read more
Isn’t it ironic that the conquistadors of Spain, who first brought the potato to the attention of those outside the Americas, were relatively indifferent to the vegetative gold that they stumbled upon in the 1530s? They rode over the tubers, in pursuit of the Inca leader Atahualpa and his fabled riches. Little did they realise … Read more
Great Britain and Ireland have long been the homes of multicultural societies, in the early modern period no less than in the present day. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries many came from the European continent to settle here—some to escape war and religious persecution, others to find better lives. These immigrants struggled to adapt … Read more
The presentation of Irish culture as a commodity has developed into a remarkable world-wide phenomenon in recent years. The success of Irish writers, musicians and dancers on the global stage continues to surpass all expectations, and shows no signs of abating. In Ireland itself, the latest economic boom (however selective), combined with the evolving peace … Read more