A bit of Oirish Coltior
Off course there is loads to say on Irish culture. The country produced four Nobel Literature Prize-winners. But there's more...
I haven't read Joyce's Ullyses just yet, most off the Irish don't even have a clue what he was on about. Last week, I started reading Star of the Sea, a novel by Joseph O'Connor. Joseph is the brother of wicca, pope-hater, lesbian, skin-head Sinead. He lives in Donegal, which is basicaly the Irish place for Wisconsin or Geluwe (the bloody middle of frigging nowhere). His book tells the story of a ship of Irish refugees, fleeing the famine of 1847, in search of a better life in the States. It paints a horrible picture of the exploitation of the common man, not only by the English, but also by Irish merchant (exploitation, it's the oldest game in the world, innit?). Great book, especially if you've been to Connemara and the Burren, where the main characters come from. To give you a clue on what the Burren looks like: Cromwell once said: "There is no tree to hang a man, not enough water to drown him and not enough ground to bury him in." Go there, it's lovely...
Other Irish books I can recommend:
- A star called Henry, first book of a trilogy by Roddy Doyle. The gripping story of Henry Smart, who was one of the revolutionaries of the Easter Rising. Great insight into the Irish Revolution.
- McCarthy's Pub and The road to McCarthy by Pete McCarthy. Pete recently passed away. He left us two great travelstories. I'm not saying these things lightly, but he might just be up there with the great Bill Bryson. Especially the first book tells an enormously funny story of his travel around Ireland. He has ten rules for traveling and rule number one is, off course: "Never pass a pub with your name, without having a pint there"...
- And there's Donal Ruane's Tales from a rearviewmirror. An ex-taxidriver recalling his drives through Dublin. He just got a new book out on the aftermath of the Celtic Tiger, or in other words, why a shabby house here will set you back about 700.000euro unless you want to live the other side of the island (I've got an easy commute: I live on the Aran Islands...)
But off course there is also Irish comedy. I recently discovered the BBC-sitcom Black Books, starring my new role-model Bill Bailey. Starring alongside him was a character called Bernard Black (hence Black Books). Bernard Black is a grumpy drunken Irishman (that would be a pleonasm...). (Ever noticed how most of the jokes start? An Englishman, a Welshman and a Scotsman walk into a pub... Well, I've always asked myself where the Irishman was. Now I know: he's been in there since dawn and is already pissed out of his head and to hammered to take any further part in the action. That's why most people don't even mention him any more...). This guy's real name is Dylan Moran, an Irishman who's been living in England for years (Wanker!). He has a live-DVD out form his latest show in Vicar Street and it's brilliant. It even features a quiz. It reads: Suitable for viewers over 15 years if age. Contains some strong language, once very strong. Well, I've watched it tree times last night and I can't find the one piece of very strong language. He says "FECK" every other word... Check him out, together with Dave McSavage, who you might see in the streets of Temple Bar. Well, I'm certainly hooked on the Irish. Therefore my two firstborn shall be called Paidraig and Siobhan. Failte!
