Ah, Ireland…That damnable, delightful country, where everything that is right is the opposite of what it ought to be ~ Disraeli
For some reason I have always been intrigued with both Ireland and Scotland. Mainly my interests lie with the age of Druids and with the fantasy of the places. What’s not to love about Leprechauns and the like? But it’s more than that. It’s the people. They have such an easy sense of humor and just wreak history. They are a proud breed, and I adore them. Ahhh to have a castle on the moor…
Imagine my delight upon finding this gem of a book on the cheap rack for a mere $4.98. Heaven. Irish Wit and Wisdom is everything it promises to be. This is a book of quotes, lore, and fact… with a few recipes thrown in.
Ireland is a small but insuppressible island half an hour nearer the sunset than Great Britain ~ Thomas Kettle
John Hickey, Martin Hintz, Cathy Ann Tell, and Malcolm McDowell Woods must have had a blast poring through papers and books and talking to folks in Ireland to compile this. You’ll learn in the amusing forward that they did, indeed, have a pint or two in the process.
One common thread throughout this 192-page treasure is the Irish humor. Often tongue-in-cheek, it is bound to bring a smile to your face. The Irish are so naughty sometimes!
The river Liffey flows down to Dublin from the Wicklow Hills and passes under 14 city bridges before pouring out into Dublin Harbor and Dublin Bay. Author James Joyce immortalized the water-way’s spirit as the character Anna Livia in “Finnegan’s Wake.” On O’Connell Street, a statue of a woman under a waterfall symbolizes the river’s importance to the city. However, Dublin wits have irreverently tagged the sculpture, erected in 1988, as the “Floozy in the Jacuzzi.”
Irish Wit and Wisdom is broken down into seven chapters: The Wonderous Isle is about the land in general and the lore surrounding it; Ye Good Olde Daze deals with the rich history; Spooky and not so Spooky Folklore tells of banshees and corpse-candles and other things that go bump in the Irish countryside; People of the Auld Sod will educate you about the Irishmen specifically and have you rolling; Religion, Politics, and Other Irish Sports where you will learn to think before responding to anyone from Ireland as it’s likely they’re having a bit of fun with you; Glorious Words and Music will educate you on folks like Flautist James Galway and the clever quotes of folks like Oscar Wilde (The play was a great success, but the audience was an total failure). Last but certainly not least is Irish Chuckles and Groaners, which is exactly what you think it is.
Jayzus! On the eighth day, Lord A’mighty musta created those damn bagpipes!
I can’t decide what I like best in this book. One minute it’s the wonderful quotes, the next it’s the humorous tales. All are intertwined so you never grow bored with a set pattern. A few quotes here, an anecdote there, a couple of poems, then a recipe perhaps, and a few Irish Proverbs thrown in for fun. This book was made to flip through and just read random pages as the fancy strikes.
The Irish are a fair people; they never speak well of one another ~ Samuel Johnson
If you are taken at all with the whimsical ways of the Irish, you will love this book. If not, well, you’ll like it anyway. How could you not love the wry humour? G’on with ye then! And have a pint or two for me….
And if you like this one, try Irish Lore and Legends too
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