Irish Ethnobotany was first published in 1919 by Dr Michael F. Moloney (1888-1934). Described by the Irish Independent as “...not only an interesting and comprehensive survey of the history of medicine in Ireland, but an extensive list of native medicinal herbs”.
(2021 Publication )The stories commence with glimpses of an Irish childhood, moving on to the delicate balancing act of the grown up world. then suddenly predictability crashes, and unlikely situations ensue. English story with Irish translation on the facing page.
There are three themes. Personal Stories, the Impact of the Troubles and the enduring Legacy. There are many different stories some are humorous, and more are deadly serious. The overwhelming context is the enduring set of circumstances which arose for the Troubles era, as the Northern conflict spread its malign influence into the Republic. The Out of State influence on Policing and Security continues............
Everything in Angela’s Dublin house has a prefix - Normandy sourced, south facing, overly ambitious husband. She’s gone along with it all - the small talk, the hyena laughter of the women in the social circle she and Matthew inhabit in Dublin. Until now.
This is a story; of severe poverty and congestion in rural slums in the west, the selection process by the Land Commission, threats and conflict, the migration process, settlement and social integration in Allenstown, their struggle for survival during the ‘emergency’, their triumph and their ongoing relationship with the western homeland, and the death of a Gaeltacht. The book also gives a sense of the life in the big house and the dismantling of a country estate.