FICTION Nora Webster By Colm Tóibín Colm Tóibín’s latest novel Nora Webster finds the gifted Irish author writing one of his most personal novels since Brooklyn. Throughout Nora Webster, Tóibín taps into his early childhood growing up in Wexford, the death of his father, and the perseverance of his mother. His penchant for character-driven plot and psychological insight is … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Matthew Skwiat
Irish Say “No”
to Water Charges
While rain is free and plentiful and free in Ireland, it appears water is not. Public outrage is sweeping across Ireland over the introduction of mandatory water meters that would raise the cost of living for many in the country. With the introduction of the water meters, Ireland will be paying some of the highest rates for water in Europe.
Previously, water came out of the … [Read more...] about Irish Say “No”
to Water Charges
An Irish-Choctaw
Thanksgiving in Queens
The Choctaw Native American tribe and Irish people have a complex and nuanced relationship that has stretched across the centuries. Their histories of displacement and recovery inform and strengthen one another by providing a system of cooperation, generosity, and faith in the resilience of the human spirit. It was this connection that spurred the Queens Museum and Theatre to … [Read more...] about An Irish-Choctaw
Thanksgiving in Queens
Paris’s Irish Cultural Center
Just around the corner from the Pantheon in Paris’s 5th Arrondissement is the former Collège des Irlandais, now the Irish Cultural Center (Le Centre Culturel Irlandais). Matthew Skwiat explores its storied past and current revival. Henry Miller once said “to know Paris is to know a great deal.” His words seemed to take on a whole new meaning once one has traveled to France. … [Read more...] about Paris’s Irish Cultural Center
Review of Books
Non-Fiction The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce’s Ulysses By Kevin Birmingham With the publication of Kevin Birmingham’s The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce’s Ulysses some people may be asking: do we really need another book about James Joyce? The answer after reading Birmingham’s debut novel is an enthusiastic yes! Much more than just a book … [Read more...] about Review of Books