A DICTIONARY OF IRISH BIOGRAPHY
Henry Boylan
Described as "the most complete" guide of distinguished Irish from 400 AD to the present, Boylan’s tome includes almost 1,700 biographies of deceased luminaries. It does ignore departed phenoms from more recent popular culture, rocker Phil Lynott for instance. Still, that’s a minor complaint. This is a valuable reference, an absorbing browse. 544 pages, 150 photos, $35. Details from Roberts Rinehart publishers, (303) 652-2685 or publicity@robertsrinehart.com.
IRISH HOME RULE 1867-1921
Alan O’Day
This 346-page study of Irish home rule is published by Manchester University Press and is distributed by St. Martin’s Press, of 175 Fifth Ave., NYC. It is written by Alan O’Day, a senior lecturer in history at the University of North London. While its focus is on Irish home rule, a most useful aspect of this book is its glossary of people at the beginning, followed by a 16-page chronology of events from 1864 to 1922. The book costs for $79.95 for cloth and $24.95 for paper. For information, call Meredith Howard at (212) 982-3900.
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CELTIC TIDES, A MUSICAL ODYSSEY
Putumayo World Music
This CD and video features some of the biggest names in contemporary Celtic music. The CD includes most of the artists who are profiled in the video, including the Chieftains with the Rankin Family, Clannad, Ashley MacIsaac, Mary Black, Capercaillie, Altan, Mary Jane Lamond, Dougie MacLean, Seamus Egan and Solas, Natalie MacMaster and Old Blind Dogs. A portion of the proceeds from the CD will be contributed to the American Ireland Fund to support their efforts with children in Northern Ireland. The video runs about 50 minutes. For information, call Putumayo World Music at (212) 625-1400 or log onto www.putumayo.com.
CELTIC TREASURE II, THE LIVING
LEGACY OF TURLOUGH O’CAROLAN
Narada Productions
The melodies of O’Carolan, reputedly the last of the Irish bards, have endured for more than 300 years. On this CD, some of the finest Celtic performers show why O’Carolan’s music continues to enchant and lure. This compilation is released by Narada Productions, 4650 N. Port Washington Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53212-1063. For information, call Sue Schrader or Lisa Samper at (414) 961-8350, or email suesch@narada.com or isamper@narada.com.