gracews_library's review

Go to review page

informative medium-paced

3.0

niamhyjay's review

Go to review page

informative lighthearted fast-paced

4.25

timitsut's review

Go to review page

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

I only really liked one of the stories about the brothel owner Peg. Was hoping for more working class lore, mostly centered around noblemen which I didn't quite care for, then again that's on me for not checking out what the book was about first. Gorgeously illustrated though. 

rendly's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative reflective fast-paced

3.75

kropotkin's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Some of the stories were rich and rewarding. While others felt like mere list reading of names and places. Gorgeous illustrations tease out the narratives throughout.

Some of my favourites include The Knights Templar, Peg Plunkett Queen of Vice, Queen Victoria's Dublin Visit, Killer Gas in the Great War and following Operation Shamrock

hmgauthi's review

Go to review page

informative slow-paced

3.0

ronanmcd's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Beautiful little book. Some less well known stories that take the reader in an arc across Irish history. We leave out the big stories, or take them in tangentially, and focus on details. Some were new to me, others were not. But it reads beautifully.
More than that, the little prayerbook size combined with the many linocut illustrations makes it really special. A book to keep

kylakavanagh's review

Go to review page

informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

cloudss's review

Go to review page

informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

lotta this dude fought these people for this castle in this year etc etc HOWEVER loved the top irish cortesan tale + future kings virginity  story. irish hurricane ‘night of the bug wind’ was also fun. 

cotaluck's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Lovely book, well researched and I had not heard of any of the events or topics discussed throughout.

Some things of note:

- The women were 15% stronger than modern female rowing crews
- Bell Beakers arrived 4,000 years ago and worked with copper, bronze and gold, used bell-shaped beakers and arrived from Portugal
- Roman coins have been found in Tara and Cashel
- Pagan wells were used for protection, became Christian wells after
- Holy wells became the place to go after the outlawing of Catholic Churches, and the Catholic Church themselves began to ban them in the 19th century
- The Knights Templar’s purpose was to prevent pilgrims being mugged and murdered on the roads leading to Jerusalem
- Walter de Riddlesford became the first of thirteen Masters of the Knights Templar and founded a Templar base in Castledermot
- Their role in Ireland was primarily to raise income from agriculture and rents to fund campaigns in the holy land
- They were eventually hauled into St Patrick’s cathedral and were accused of a number of charges, however they weren’t tortured and faired off more fortunately than their European counterparts
- Sir William Stanley had fought against Irish alongside Walter raleigh, but eventually turned against the crown and was involved in plots to overthrow the queen and replace her with the Catholic queen
- Joshua Dawson built the Mansion house and was one of the foremost prosecutors of Catholic priests
- Richard Parsons (Lord Rosse) was the first grandmaster of the Hell-Fire club
- The Cherokee Club was set up in 1792, the club fined members of they weren’t drunk after dinner, they caused mayhem on the streets of Dublin
- Night of the big wind, 6-7th January 1839, cause massive damage.
- Queen Victoria visited Dublin in 1900