February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
HITLER’S IRISH VOICES
David O’Donoghue
An intriguing story well told by O’Donoghue. Many have heard of William Joyce, Lord Haw Haw, the American-born, Galway-rooted Nazi broadcaster whose voice beamed into British and Irish homes during the war years. Less well known are the voices of a handful of Irish and Germans who ran the Ireland Redaktion, the Nazi radio service aimed specifically at de Valera’s neutral Ireland. One of those voices, the controversial writer Francis Stuart, is still living and O’Donoghue was able to interview him for this absorbing tale. Irish Books & Media, Minneapolis, (800) 229-3505. 236 pp.
THE IRISH CIVIL WAR
Tim Pat Coogan and
George Morrison
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Civil War politics might someday fade completely in Ireland but interest in the period will not. This lavishly illustrated book combines the efforts of author Tim Pat Coogan and documentary filmmaker George Morrison. The result is a detailed treatment of a conflict that lasted less than one year but which has stirred the ashes in the Irish grate ever since its formal conclusion on May 24, 1923. With 370 black and white photos. The years preceding the conflict, the war itself and the aftermath are covered. Roberts Rinehart, (303) 652-2685, ext. 100. 288 pp. $35.
SOLDIER OF IRELAND
Robert F. Ely
This historical account of Ireland’s struggle for independence is told through the story of young Irish patriot, Francie Chambers, as he is inducted into the West Mayo Volunteers battling against the British under the leadership of de Valera and Collins. A nephew of Francie Chambers and the son of Irish immigrants, Ely takes us through Chambers’s early life and then his battle with his own countrymen in the Irish Civil War. Ireland’s tempestuous history unfolds amid scenes of political intrigue and military defiance. Dorrance Publishing, (800) 788-7654. 180 pp. $15.
LOOSEN UP
Niamh Parsons and
The Loose Connections
Niamh Parsons brings her songs to life with a voice the Chicago Tribune described as "shifting easily between the world of mainstream and traditional music." Tracks include "The Big Bad Wolf," "The Briar and the Rose," and "Clohinne Winds." Green Linnet Records, (800) 468-6644.