Mary Kenny was a founder-member of the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement and has seen many shifts, changes and developments in women’s rights and the definition of feminism. Wise, witty, thought-provoking and provocative, Am I A Feminist? Are You? sums up a lifetime of experience.

Part testament, part memoir, part historical explanation – this is a personal appraisal of what feminism has meant, accomplished and prompted over the past five decades. There is light and shade: serious debates about serious subjects, from FGM and abortion to women soldiers and transgenderism – but also entertaining vignettes and anecdotes on the role of the bicycle, hair dye, and the sex revolution.

Praise for Mary Kenny

‘Kenny brings both compassion and a clear mind.’ – The Guardian

‘Honest, humorous and harrowing … one thing that never changed is her innate gift to write sharp, perceptive and clever prose.’ – Irish Mail on Sunday

About the Author

Mary Kenny is an Irish author, broadcaster, playwright and journalist. She is a regular columnist for the Irish Independent, and has written for the London Evening Standard, The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Mail and The Sunday Telegraph. Her books have focused on issues of social history, biography – and Ireland. For more on Mary’s writings see www.mary-kenny.com

The post Am I A Feminist? Are You? appeared first on New Island Books.

Spanning self-help, humour, biography, history and a little bit of spirituality, here is a wonderful example of Mary Kenny’s signature wit, talent and charm.

Mary Kenny is an Irish author, broadcaster, playwright and journalist. She is a regular columnist for the Irish Independent, and has written for the London Evening Standard, The Times, The Guardian, and The Daily Telegraph. She was a founding member of the Women’s Liberation Movement and has published many books of both fiction and non-fiction.

The post A Day At A Time: Thoughts and Reflections through the Seasons appeared first on New Island Books.

Dancing grannies, Polish milkmaids and the Bearded Lady. There’s no denying that the Eurovision Song Contest remains one of the most enduring phenomena of popular culture –and, perhaps, also one of the strangest. Ireland’s love affair with the Eurovision has now lasted over half a century. But the relationship has not always been an easy one; Ireland has won the contest more than any other country, and the Eurovision has been a launching pad for some of Ireland’s most successful acts. But there have also been some spectacular and costly flops.

The Eurovision is the biggest TV entertainment show in the world. But most of its viewers have only observed the contest from the comfort of their living-room sofas.

In Ireland and the Eurovision, David Blake Knox goes behind the scenes to deliver the inside story of what really happens behind the power ballads, sequinned costumes and glitter cannons. The book relives the most iconic moments of the past fifty years; the highs, the lows and the downright embarrassing. This is a must-have for both devoted song contest fans and those for whom the Eurovision remains the ultimate guilty pleasure.

About the Author

David Blake Knox has a longstanding association with the Eurovision Song Contest, and has made several TV documentaries about the event, including 2015’s Ireland and the Eurovision. He was Head of Entertainment and Drama in RTÉ from 1990 to 1994 – during Ireland’s ‘golden era’ when it won and staged the Eurovision contest three years in a row.

As well as working for RTÉ in Dublin, he has worked for the BBC in London and HBO in New York. He currently runs the independent production company Blueprint Pictures, which specialises in arts and entertainment series. He is the author of Suddenly, While Abroad, which tells the story of thirty-two Irish merchant seamen who were held in a Nazi slave labour camp. Ireland and the Eurovision is his latest book. David lives in Dublin.

The post Ireland and the Eurovision appeared first on New Island Books.

This latest edition has been updated to incorporate new additions to the landscape, such as the Spire and the James Joyce Bridge, and changes to Joycean landmarks like the Ormond Hotel, Sweny’s Pharmacy and Barney Kiernan’s pub. New research has thrown fresh light on some puzzling moments in Ulysses and challenged traditional views on Mr Deasy’s school, Bella Cohen’s reputation and Stephen’s morning whereabouts.

Praise for The Ulysses Guide

‘Robert Nicholson’s famous guide to Ulysses – now re-published in a new unenamourdated edition – is the ultimate guide not just to Joyce’s words but to his city also…
Whether you are a Joycean expert or a novice or simply a Dubliner curious to walk through streets you think you know and discover happened on these street corners in Joyce’s imagination, then – this week of all weeks – this guide is the perfect gift to yourself.’  – Dermot Bolger, Irish Mail on Sunday

‘An excellent compendium of local history, literary scholarship, and wry critical commentary, the guide is designed to accommodate the ever-increasing number and variety of Joyce pilgrims…an intelligent, sensitive and accurate gestalt of Joyce’s Dublin.’ – English Literature in Transition

‘The cover of this book could become as familiar as the cover of Lonely Planet Ireland. And with good reason: Nicholson’s book remains an eminently readable “tour” of Dublin, past and present.’ – Oona Frawley, James Joyce Quarterly

‘Eight walks which make surprisingly good reading…full of delightful information.’ – Literary Review

‘An indispensable manual.’ – The Glasgow Herald

About the Author

Robert Nicholson was born and lives in Dublin. He studied English Literature at Trinity College, and since 1978 has been the curator of the James Joyce Museum in Sandycove. The Ulysses Guide was first published in 1988, establishing him as an authority on the locations of Joyce’s novel, and in 2007 he wrote and presented a DVD, James Joyce’s Dublin: The Ulysses Tour. He is a founder member of the James Joyce Cultural Centre and former chairman of the James Joyce Institute of Ireland. He is a regular contributor to The James Joyce Broadsheet.

The post The Ulysses Guide appeared first on New Island Books.

In Life Lessons, which is composed of snippets of one-to-one conversations Rita de Brún had with twenty-one Irish women and men, the sameness and interconnectedness of us all becomes apparent, as does the inherent goodness, ordinariness, humbleness and spirituality that is central to the sheer extraordinariness of some of those that we admire the most.

 Willy Daly   Colm O’Gorman   Jimmy Goulding   Pat Byrne   John Carmody   Dr. Austin O’Carroll   Sister Stanislaus Kennedy   

Catherine McGuinness   Eavan Boland   Sean Scully   Mark Patrick Hederman   Mary O’Rourke   Conor Walton  Sarah Benson   

Paul Cooke   Christina Noble   Joanne O’Riordan   Richard Kearney   Dr Seán Donlon   Rebecca de Havalland   Marty Morrissey

The post Life Lessons appeared first on New Island Books.

Drawing on original research, Humphreys examines what motivated people to join the missions, and why they still feel their work is relevant today. Missionaries speak candidly about their experiences: the doubts, feelings of loneliness and struggles with hierarchy, as well as the consolations of their vocation and the great bonds they now enjoy with people across the globe.

The legacy of the movement is still uncertain, but it is hard to identify a cultural phenomenon from Ireland that has had such a profound international impact. With the average age of Irish Missionaries now well over seventy, and their numbers dwindling, God’s Entrepreneurs is a last chance to hear their extraordinary story.

Reviews

‘often uplifting and always informative’ – The Irish Times

‘Humphreys explores a shrinking world…this popular, readable, and brisk overview reminds us of what the missionaries can teach Ireland.’ – New York Journal of Books

About the Author

Joe Humphreys is an Irish Times journalist and author. Born in Galway and educated at UCD, he holds an MA in Political Philosophy and lives in Dublin. He is currently Education Correspondent with The Irish Times, for which he also contributes the weekly ‘Unthinkable’ philosophy column. He has previously worked as an assistant news editor, and as a correspondent from South Africa, and has a particular interest in African and development issues.

The post God’s Entrepreneurs: How Irish Missionaries tried to change the world appeared first on New Island Books.

In this collection, which is composed of snippets of one-to-one conversations Rita de Brún had with twenty-one Irish women and men, the sameness and interconnectedness of us all becomes apparent, as does the inherent goodness, ordinariness, humbleness and spirituality that is central to the sheer extraordinariness of some of those that we admire the most.

 Willy Daly   Colm O’Gorman   Jimmy Goulding   Pat Byrne   John Carmody   Dr. Austin O’Carroll   Sister Stanislaus Kennedy   

Catherine McGuinness   Eavan Boland   Sean Scully   Mark Patrick Hederman   Mary O’Rourke   Conor Walton  Sarah Benson   

Paul Cooke   Christina Noble   Joanne O’Riordan   Richard Kearney   Dr Seán Donlon   Rebecca de Havalland   Marty Morrissey

The post Life Lessons (Limited Edition Signed Hardback) appeared first on New Island Books.

Featuring interviews with Bono, Amanda Brunker, Dermot Bolger, Dessie Ellis, Mairead Farrell, Niamh Kavanagh, Gavin Friday, Charlie Redmond, Ronnie Whelan and many more, Finglas: A People’s Portrait forms an essential record of Finglas’ history in the 20th and 21st centuries. The book brings to life some of the most fascinating and compelling life stories of the area’s residents and natives.

Samantha Libreri, an award winning RTÉ journalist, has teamed up with Darren Kinsella, an award winning photographer, to craft this charming and beguiling book that explores the neighbourhoods rich history and highlighted the strength and power of the people of the area.

The post Finglas: A People’s Portrait appeared first on New Island Books.

60 Years, 30 Perspectives is a unique collection of insights into modern Irish society from thirty of Ireland’s most influential commentators, thinkers and leaders. This is an important contribution to the debate on the state of human rights in Ireland from a wide spectrum of Irish society.

With contributors from the worlds of sport, art, the military, trade unions and law this highly accessible text will be of interest to anyone seeking to understand modern Irish society. 60 years, 30 perspectives also features a photo essay by renowned Irish photographer Derek Speirs.

The post 60 Years, 30 Perspectives: Ireland and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights appeared first on New Island Books.

Whether you are a climate sceptic or a deep shade of green, this book makes sound financial sense. Easy, practical tips for ‘eco-nomical’ living that can be done immediately – without the need for costly equipment or installation – and the humorous, no-nonsense explanations will convince any sceptic.

Research has found that women drive less than men, and men buy less than women. So, if we are to get out of this current mess, we could start by getting in touch with the other side of our brains. Take one of these tips every day, and save the cover price in minutes – one tip alone could save you 500 a year.

Praise for Drive Like a Woman, Shop Like a Man:

‘John Gormley, please distribute a copy of this book to every home…If only one reader in hundreds observed some of Mulvihill’s commandments, the impact on our health, well-being, and the economy, would be immense’ – Irish Examiner

‘This is a fantastic guide to being a keen, mean green machine…This book is the perfect present for anyone with even the palest streak of green in their make up’ – Evening Herald

The post Drive Like a Woman, Shop Like a Man appeared first on New Island Books.