Spotlight on Ireland

Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, when we Americans celebrate our Irish heritage, or at least the possibility that we might be related to or know someone with Irish heritage. Ireland is a beautiful country with a rich history that goes far beyond the rather American custom of green beer.

We've gathered together some of the materials available here at Carnegie-Stout to help you celebrate St. Patrick's with a good book, some Irish food, or even by planning a visit to Ireland. Be sure to stop in to the library to check out the display on the first floor!


Irish Food
Recipes for a Perfect Marriage by Morag Prunty
A touching story of marriage and food, with Irish charm and recipes. Tressa has doubts about her recent marriage and turns to the recipes of her grandmother Bernadine for comfort, and discovers that Bernadine's seemingly perfect marriage had its own share of rough patches.

• Irish Pub Cookbook 641.59417 JOH
• 30 Years at Ballymaloe: a celebration of the world-renowned cooking school with over 100 new recipes 641.59415 ALL
• A Taste of Ireland 641.59415 WHI

Irish Culture
Jig DVD 793.3194 JIG
Features the remarkable story of the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships, held in March 2010 in Glasgow. Thousands of dancers, their families, and teachers from around the globe descend upon Glasgow for one drama-filled week.

• Dublin: a cultural history 941.835 KIL
• A Guide to Irish Mythology 290.162 SMY
• The Traditional Irish Wedding 395.2209 HAG
• A Treasury of Irish Folklore 398.2 COL
• Irish-English / English-Irish Dictionary 491.623 IRI
• Danny Boy : the beloved Irish ballad 782.43 MCC
• Celtic Woman DVD 782.42 CEL
• The Best of Riverdance DVD 793.3194 BES

Travel Ireland
Historic Pubs of Dublin DVD 914.1835
Frank McCourt tells the story of the city through its most historic pubs, dating back hundreds of years. In addition to the legendary drinking establishments, viewers will learn more about must-see attractions like Trinity College, Dublin Castle, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grafton Street, Jameson Distillery, Guinness Brewery, the city's beautiful parks, and more.

• Back Roads Ireland 914.15 BAC
• Rick Steves' Ireland 914.15 RIC
• On an Irish Island 941.96 KAN
• Fodor's 2012 Ireland 914.15 FOD
• Cycle Touring in Ireland 796.64 COO
• Ireland DVD 914.15

Explore Your Irish Heritage
Road to McCarthy: around the world in search of Ireland by Pete McCarthy 909 MCC
Travel writer Pete McCarthy embarks on a journey to learn about his own family and discovers how far flung the McCarthy descendants are. Witty, offbeat, and insightful, Mr. McCarthy's journey takes genealogical research in delightfully unexpected directions.

• Tracing Your Irish Family History 929.10720415 (Gen)
• In Search of Your British & Irish Roots 929.10892041 BAX (Gen Ref)
• How the Irish Saved Civilization 941.501 CAH (Lg. Print)
• The Irish Americans 973.049162 DOL
• The Dictionary of Irish Family Names 929.42 GRE (Gen Ref)

Irish Literature

• Cecelia Ahern, author of whimsical contemporary romantic fiction
• John Banville, winner of the Man Booker Prize in 2005, his fiction is haunting, descriptive, and dives deep into the minds of his characters
• Sebastian Barry, his novels typically have a historical setting and an intricate plot, also a poet, his writing is lyrical
• Samuel Beckett, a Nobel Laureate, novelist and playwright with an experimental style and a dark sense of humor
• Maeve Binchy, the author of heartwarming stories of life in a changing world with a focus on her characters' relationships, be sure to check out our Maeve Binchy read alikes
• Eoin Colfer, an author of fast-paced tales that feature adventure and humor, best known for the Artemis Fowl series
• Anne Enright, an author of haunting, character-driven novels and short fiction
• James Joyce, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, his stream of contagiousness novel Ulysses is the basis for the yearly Bloomsday Celebration
• Marian Keyes, an author of funny, conversational chick lit, often with a Dublin setting
• Pat McCabe, his novels are offbeat, darkly humorous, character-driven, dialect-rich, and sometimes creepy
• Bram Stoker, the author of the classic vampire story Dracula
• Jonathan Swift, a satirical essayist and the author of Gulliver's Travels
• Colm Toibin, an author of melancholy, character-driven novels and short fiction
• Oscar Wilde, a poet, playwright, and novelist known for his sharp wit and the troubles of his personal life
• William Butler Yeats, Nobel Laureate, poet, and champion of Irish literature

Please stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor, check out NoveList Plus on the library's website, or visit W. 11th & Bluff next week for more reading suggestions. Or submit a Personal Recommendations request, and we'll create a reading list just for you!