Search results for ""O'Brien Press""

Life is harsh in close-knit community of Dirrabeg, a community on the Dingle Peninsula facing extinction in the mid-1950's. Many of the young have left for England or America, where there are opportunities and chances for secure lives. Those remaining behind love their land and their independence but fear for the future as the bogs get thin, the yields are poor, and the children have little hope of success. ‘We never died a winter yet.’ A wickedly funny and insightful novel from the author of Sive, The Field, The Year of the Hiker, and many other classic works. In the Kerry village of Dirrabeg in the 1950s, the annual wren dance is a moment of light within the dark winter, especially for bodhrán player Donal Hallapy, whose skills are in high demand. But this paganism, and the singing, dancing and drinking that take place, are anathema to Canon Tett, who resolves to crush the old customs. Donal Hallapy, devoted father of a large family, is a bodhran player. He is always in great demand whenever the once-a-year wrendances take place, a day long festival on St Stephen’s Day, which can be traced back to pagan times. This paganism, the secret nature of the celebrations, the singing, dancing and drinking that takes place, and the fact that the church has no control over them has made them anathema to "the clan of the round collar," in the person of Canon Tett, an ultraconservative and downright sadistic priest determined to bring the free spirits of Dirrabeg to bay by ending the fun of the wrendances. Wickedly funny and full of insight into age-old conflicts and a lifestyle long passed into memory.

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In a time of war, how much would you risk to help a friend? Young Johnny Dunne works hard at Balbriggan’s Mill Hotel, but still finds time to enjoy life with his friends, Alice and Stella. Though the three come from different backgrounds – Johnny had a harsh childhood in an orphanage, Alice is the daughter of the hotel owner and Stella the daughter of the Commanding Officer at the nearby RAF Gormanston. – they’re inseparable, living at the hotel and playing together in the town band. But with the War of Independence raging, the friends face difficult decisions. Stella is pro-British, Johnny is pro-independence, and Alice is somewhere in between. Then Johnny’s secret role, spying for the IRA on the Crown forces, puts him in danger. And Stella and Alice have hard choices to make – choices that threaten their lives …

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So there I was, roysh, putting the 'in' in 'in crowd', hanging out, pick of the babes, bills from the old pair to fund the lifestyle I, like, totally deserve. But being a schools rugby legend has its downsides, roysh, like all the total knobs wanting to chill in your, like, reflected glory, and the bunny-boilers who decide they want to be with me and won't take, like, no for an answer. And we're talking totally here. Basically, it may look like a champagne bath with, like, Nell McAndrew, with, like, no clothes and everything, but I can tell you, roysh, those focking bubbles can burst. And when they do … OH MY GOD! Ross O'Carroll-Kelly is all meat and no preservatives, roysh, at least, that's what it says in the can in, like, one particular south Dublin girls' school, which shall remain nameless, roysh, basically to protect the names of the guilty. You know who you are. With a new introduction by Paul Howard, Ross's representative on, loike, earth?

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Something is stirring beneath Dubh Linn. When an ancient and forbidden power is unleashed, Izzy, who is still coming to terms with her newfound powers, must prevent a war from engulfing Dublin and the fae realm of Dubh Linn. But by refusing to sacrifice Jinx – fae warrior and her ‘not-really-ex’ – Izzy sets in motion a chain of events which will see them hunted across the city and into the hills where she'll face the greatest challenge of all. In the deepest and darkest Hollow, an angel of death is waiting … and the price he asks for his help might be too high … 'an excellent fantasy, with strange but memorable characters set in believable settings. The storyline all through is tense and exciting with a somewhat surprise ending.' Irish Examiner on A Crack in Everything 'Delicious and wonderfully romantic…Lyrical prose, along with highly imaginative and descriptive phrasing, makes the forest setting–and its creatures and people–immediately present and sparked with magic.' Booklist on The Treachery of Beautiful Things

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'A delightful evocation of Irishness and of the author's deep-rooted love of the very fields of home' Publishers Weekly Alice Taylor’s classic account of growing up in the Irish countryside, the biggest selling book ever published in Ireland, beautifully reproduced with photographs from Alice's life. If ever a voice has captured the colors, the rhythms, the rich, bittersweet emotions of a time gone by, it is Alice Taylor's. Her tales of childhood in rural Ireland hark back to a timeless past, to a world now lost, but ever and fondly remembered. The colorful characters and joyous moments she offers have made To School Through the Fields an Irish phenomenon, and have made Alice herself the most beloved author in all of the Emerald Isle. A must-have for fans of Alice Taylor.

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Storytelling has always been at the heart of Celtic societies. From firesides to books, these tales have been passed from generation to generation. Some are well known, such as the Irish legend of Diarmaid and Gráinne, while those less frequently told, including The Magic Pail from Cornwall, deserve their place in this unique collection. Tales from all celtic lands, including Brittany, The Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales, meet here. Skillfully retold by author and poet Una Leavy and brought to life by Fergal O’Connor’s lively illustrations. Read of giants and dragons, of fairies and princesses: all beautifully illustrated and told for a new generation of children.

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A complete account of the life and times of James Joyce in the form of a graphic novel. From his earliest days and school career, through to meetings with all the literary greats of the day, this story is dotted with anecdotes, as well as a captivating and beautifully drawn journey through the cities of Dublin, Trieste, Paris and Zurich, where this universal Irishman left traces of his life. A stunning one-of-a-kind publication about Joyce's life.

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A stunning illustrated collection of Irish legends, including: The Salmon of Knowledge, How Cú Chulainn Got His Name, The Children of Lir, The King with Donkey’s Ears, Fionn and the Giant, The White Wolfhound, and Oisín. This is a unique book, the only German language edition of an Irish legends collection for children. In a handy pocket format, which is also available in English, French, Spanish and Italian.

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In the Dublin of 1922 with Civil War about to break out, working class Annie Reilly is thrilled to win a scholarship to Eccles Street Convent School. A little frozen out by her old friends, yet not wholly accepted by all of her new classmates, she is pleased to be befriended by Susie O'Neill an easy-going girl from a much more comfortable background. Through Susie's brother, Annie meets Peter Scanlon, a neighbour of the O'Neill's and a pupil at Belvedere college. Having been radicalised by the execution of Kevin Barry, another Belvedere pupil, Peter becomes involved with the rebels who oppose the Treaty with Britain, and who are in conflict with the forces of the newly formed Irish Free State. As families and friends across the nation are forced to choose sides, and with Peter's conservative parents unaware of the dangerous role their son is adopting, Annie and Peter find their friendship coming under strain. Torn socially between her old friends and the exciting opportunities her new school presents, Annie is further confused when fighting breaks out on the streets of the city, with Irishmen now fighting other Irishmen. When Peter comes under suspicion from the police he asks Annie to cover for him. Reluctantly she provides him with an alibi, knowing that this also places her at risk of arrest - and with it the loss of her vitally-important scholarship. While all of the friends try to enjoy normal life - engaging in after-school classes, sports and concerts - there is no escaping the conflict that is rocking the country. Annie and Peter argue, but despite disagreeing with his secret activities as a messenger for the Die Hards, Annie keeps his secret. Annie's father, who drives a hackney that is often used by government officials, is targeted by the rebels, and Annie is kidnapped at gunpoint to force her father to co-operate in an assassination bid. Knowing that both sides have become increasingly brutal and ruthless, Peter is horrified when he learns of the danger that Annie now faces. Torn between his convictions and the debt that he owes to Annie, Peter has a stark choice to make. And when he risks everything for his friend, Annie too has to struggle with loyalty and the notion of informing on a friend, when other peoples' lives are in the balance.

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A boy orphaned by invaders. A strange fairy girl in the forest. A serpent god seeking blood. A book to turn darkness into light. Brendan’s uncle, Abbot Cellach, forbids him to set foot outside the walls of Kells. ‘The Vikings are coming,’ he warns. But Brendan longs to help the famous illuminator, Aidan, with the Great Book. In the dark of the night he sneaks into the forest to collect ink berries for Aidan. There he is attacked by wolves, meets a strange fairy girl – and stumbles on the cave of the evil Crom Cruach, the Dark One. Can Brendan outwit the serpent god? Will the Great Book ever be finished? And will the walls of Kells protect Brendan and the monks from the invading Vikings? Adapted from The Secret of Kells, the Oscar-nominated film by Cartoon Saloon, Les Armateurs, Vivi Film.

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Born in Sligo into a family of travelling entertainers, Sandy Kelly has become one of the top musical performers in Ireland. Sandy was co-opted into the family variety show from an early age. As a teenager she sang on the social club circuit in the UK, playing an ever more prominent role. When she returned to Ireland, she developed initially as a pop performer before following her instincts and concentrating on a music career. Her landmark 1989 recording of the Patsy Cline hit ‘Crazy’ led her to perform on stages all over the world, including the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and the lead role in Patsy – The Musical in London’s West End. But the music industry can be a tough place. Sandy has dealt with prejudice and financial pressures. Alongside the glamour of show business, she has experienced the heartaches of divorce, family illness and death, and faced the challenges of raising a daughter with special needs. Sandy has stood strong at the heart of Ireland’s music scene for over four decades. Here, for the first time, she recounts the highs – and lows – of a lifetime in music, in her own words.

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Glow-in-the-dark owls, eggs boiling in Icelandic hot pools, the gangster tactics of the devil’s coach-horse beetle … Éanna Ní Lamhna has seen them all! Éanna explores the wonders of our wild world, from a safari in Tanzania to the cloud forests of Costa Rica, from rat-hunting in Canada to whale watching in New Zealand. She draws on her experience as a diver to tell of face-to-face encounters with fascinating fan worms, elusive sea hares and a murderous crab, and rings the alarm bells on the environmental challenges facing us. Éanna also recounts with cheerful relish the pitfalls and delights of being a broadcaster and a scientist. Sure why would anyone want to be anything else?

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Barnabus Kwerk lives in the biggest, fanciest house in Undle. His family are stinking rich. They’re also dreadful people. Barnabus doesn’t want to be like the rest of the Kwerks. He wants to go to school and make friends and be happy. But that isn’t possible as long as he remains trapped in the attic bedroom of the Big House. When a stranger calls one stormy night, Barnabus is fascinated. His Aunt Jemima is like no-one he has ever met before. She knows secrets – about the Kwerks’ dark past, about Barnabus’s mother, and about a glorious golden machine at the centre of the Earth. She offers Barnabus a life of adventure. But every great adventure has danger at its heart.

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‘Dream big. You can’t put a limit on your dreams because nothing is impossible.’ Katie Mullan, Ireland Hockey Captain Are you ready to be inspired? Open this book and discover a world of courage, bravery and adventure. Adventurers, explorers, inventors, dreamers.... for a small country Irish people have had a huge impact internationally. From helping street children in India, to saving Jewish children during World War II and exploring new worlds, their reach has been world-wide. From Michael Collins to Rosie Hackett, Lady Gregory to Tom Crean, this book celebrates the brave and daring Irish. Be inspired by some of Ireland’s most daring and fearless men and women.

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