Living with History; Archipelago: A Reader; On Dangerous Ground

Living with History

by Felix M Larkin (Kingdom Books, €24)

This is a multifaceted selection of Felix Larkin’s many writings on mostly historical subjects, particularly the history of the Irish media (he has specialised in research on the Freeman’s Journal) but also the Irish independence struggle, the American presidency, Joyce and Irish history, appreciations of some Irish historians (eg Mary Hayden, KB Nowlan, Margaret MacCurtain) and other biographical sketches (eg Hyde, Redmond, Cosgrave, de Valera). Historiography and the interpretation of historical events have been of the utmost importance to Larkin and are given eloquent expression in “Harped history: James Joyce and Irish historiography”, one of the finest pieces in the collection. A lovely autobiographical piece recalls UCD in the 1960s and there are insightful essays on the visual arts and literary classics as well. — Brian Maye

Archipelago: A Reader

by Nicholas Allen & Fiona Stafford (eds) (Lilliput, €25)

Archipelago was an occasional magazine of literature and art published between 2007 and 2019, where artists focused on their interactions with the Irish-British archipelago. It was “consistently interesting, provocative and gifted with a complement of artists and writers who summoned together an entirely new vision of land and sea, and this from the intractable material of a long-broken union whose fragmentation is ongoing,” say the editors. Here we have a selection of key contributions: poems, artwork, analyses, meditations, memoirs. Dividing the archipelago into its constituent countries, it reimagines the relationships between these islands, bringing together divergent voices in creative conversations. From so many fine contributions, it seems invidious to pick a few, but for this reviewer Greim an Fhir Bháite (Deirdre Ní Chonghaile), Ailsa (Mary Wellesley), Leaves (John Brannigan) and Tynybraich (Angharad Price) stood out. — Brian Maye

On Dangerous Ground

by Máire Comerford (Lilliput, €20)

This is Máire Comerford’s memoir of her extensive involvement in the Irish independence struggle between 1916 and 1923, edited by Hilary Dully, who found herself “enthralled by her bravery, idealism and unbreakable commitment to fighting for an independent Irish republic”. As a member of Cumann na mBan, she travelled throughout Ireland working on behalf of the Irish Volunteers, Sinn Féin, the Dáil and the White Cross. Her memoir has the double virtue of being a detailed, first-hand eyewitness account of events and of bringing to light the significant role of many women, which would otherwise be lost to history. She regarded the Treaty as a great betrayal of the struggle and suffered imprisonment during the Civil War. Photographs and memorabilia from the period add to the book’s appeal. — Brian Maye