By request -- Some new books of interest: 1. "A Place Too Small For Secrets," by Paddy KENNELLY, Marino, p.b. Paddy Kennelly decided to tell the tale of his Kerry village, Knockore, as a series of poems, spoken by the rather extravagant collection of characters who flourish there or remember that they did, once long ago. (The photo of the tiny old lady in her kitchen on the cover is worth the price of the book!). "But how, amid the din, can I find rest? Let me pretend, let me pretend I'm listening to the sound that I love best: The Shannon washing on the shore At Bunaclogga where the curlews keep A lonely vigil, their plaintive cries Reaching on a calm night The village of Knockore I fall asleep." 2. "Agnes Mary CLERKE & The Rise of Astrophysics," (2002) by Mary BRUCK, Cambridge University Press. Scholarly and affectionate account by Dr. Mary Bruck (formerly senior lecturer in astronomy at Edinburgh University) on the life of Agnes Mary CLERKE who left Skibbereen, Co. Cork at age 19 in 1861. The unassuming but intelligent Agnes Mary Clerke wrote "A Popular History of Astronomy in the Nineteenth Century" in 1886 - a foundation document in the history of the subject - and a precious copy of her book and four other rare books were recently given to Mr. Bernie DALY, the present mayor of the scholarly town of Skibbereen by a representative of the DEASY family. Agnes Mary was the eldest of the two daughters of John Clerke, the town's admired bank manager, who left Skibbereen in 1851 to make a new career in Dublin and, eventually, London. His wife was a member of the DEASY family. 3. "The Travellers Guide to Sacred Ireland, A Guide to the Sacred Places of Ireland, her Legends, Folklore and People," by Gary MEEHAN for Gothic Image Publications, POB 2568, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8XR, England. P/b & h/b. Compact detailed guide to 800 sites with 500 small photos and 37 user-friendly local maps - simple shrines, wells, monuments, Christian cathedrals, simple stone churches, round towers and high crosses. Contains an invaluable list of words and terms with their concise meanings. 3. "The First Toll-Roads, Ireland's Turnpike Roads 1729-1858," by David BRODERICK, Collins Press. "Turnpikes" (turnstiles) controlled access to Ireland's 19th century toll roads, which stood close by. Dublin, Cork and Belfast were the hubs, particularly Dublin, out of which about a dozen toll-roads ran, delivering passengers, mail, linen, butter, wool and corn up to Coleraine and won to Killarney. There were about 1,500 Irish miles in the control of separate groups of trustees. The regular charge for a horseman was a halfpenny and for a coach and six horses a shilling. The service failed when canals and railways began to offer competition. Mr. Broderick says that a famous family of bonesetters lived close to his home in north Kilkenny "half a mile beyond the turnpike." h/b 2. "Exile, Emigration and Irish Writing," by Patrick Ward, Irish Academic Press." Highly recommended book by "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine book editor that reflects the attitude to those Irish who earned their living abroad. Said to be astonishing and somewhat uncomfortable reading, the reviewer considered if of importance in equal rank to JOYCE's "A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man." Ward ends his book by quoting from Eavan BOLAND's "The Emigrant Irish" -- "Like oil lamps we put them out the back of our houses, of our minds. We had lights better than, newer than and then a time came, this time and now we need them." h/b. 3. "James McKENNA, a Celebration,"ed. Desmond EGAN, The Goldsmith Press, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, p/b. James McKENNA was a sculptor, playwright, poet, musician and artist. Of over 20 plays his best known is probably "The Scatterin'" - Ireland's first rock musical. Some of his work in wood and stone is to be seen in public places. Many of his best works are treasured in private hands. A delightful collections of essays and comments from people in all walks of life who knew and admired Mr. McKenna, who recently died. 4. "On Dublin's Doorstep, exploring the Province of Leister," by Christopher Moriarty, Wolfhound Press, p/b. Dr. Moriarty's is by profession an expert on the lifestyle and habits of fish, botany and geology, very capable of interesting comments on history, architectural treasures, wildflowers, and his book includes 52 day trips in Dublin and further afield with map references and meticulous detail on everything from archaeology to wheelchair access. You are probably already familiar with his wonderful "Byways Rather Than Highways" contributions to "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine. 5. "People Power? The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the Northern Ireland Conflict," by COCHRANE & DUNNE, Cork University Press, h/b. Ordinary people can have just a much effect on the resolution of conflict as political leaders, government and senior civil servants - if groups can dome together and find a way to articulate their views, to educate and inform themselves and to fund their activities. Peace/Conflict Resolution Organisations are not as much fun to read about as poetry, but we need to understand and use these new ways of behaving to secure for ourselves and others the opportunity of reading poetry and analyzing the twists of old wars to our hearts' content." h/b 6. "Wilde's Lough Corrib," by Sir William WILDE (1867), reprinted DUFFY & SMYTH, Irish Books and Media. First published in 1867 under the title "Lough Corrib, Its Shores & Islands with Notices On Lough Mask," this book written by Oscar Wilde's father at his family home in Mayo and had become an expensive collectors item by antiquarians. In this new volume there are quaint original woodcuts, flamboyant prose, and the volume will introduce a greater audience of people to the delights, through Wilde's enthusiasm and knowledge, around the shores of Corrib and Mask. h/b. 7. "The Lusitania, Unravelling the Mysteries," by Patrick O' SULLIVAN, The Collins press -p/b. Stalked and sunk by a German submarine toward the end of her 101st eastbound crossing from NY to Liverpool, the pride of the Cunard Line sank May 7, 1915 in 20 minutes delivering 1,198 innocents to their doom in the cold Atlantic waters off Ireland's south coast. It was a very beautiful clear, calm day. Many Irish were alive up to ten years ago who actually saw her go down in plain sight from their fields on the inland hills that rise above the shoreline. Note -- Another engrossing new book on this subject is "Lusitania, An Epic Tragedy," by Diana PRESTON, Walker & Co.