Celebrate Irish Culture with the Library this St. Patrick's Day!

Looking to celebrate Irish culture beyond wearing green and drinking a shamrock shake? Although we fully support both of those things, we've made a list of ways to celebrate and learn more about Irish culture through music, movies, and books as well!

IRISH FICTION BOOKS:

Try the historical fiction Irish Country series by Patrick Taylor. Set in Ballybucklebo, a fictional village in rural Northern Ireland, the series follows novice doctor Barry Laverty as he begins his assistantship at the practice of Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. Patrick Taylor was born and raised in Bangor, County Down, in Northern Ireland. An Irish Country Doctor is the first book in the series. 

Check out these books at the Library (FICTION TAYLOR) or download the audio versions using the Hoopla app.



 




IRISH MYSTERY BOOKS:

 

The Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French makes for great atmospheric, chilling reading. The first in the series is In the Woods, follows detective Rob Ryan as he tries to solve a case that he was involved in from his childhood and a similar case taking place today. There are different lead detectives in every story, but they all work in Dublin's Muder Squad division. Tana French grew up in Ireland, Italy, the US and Malawi, and has lived in Dublin since 1990.

Check out these books at the Library (FICTION FRENCH) or download the eBook/eAudiobook versions through the Overdrive app.



 


NONFICTION BOOKS:

Sometimes it's easier to understand different times, places, and cultures through photographs, which is why we recommend, The Irish: A Photohistory by Sean Sexton & Christine Kinealy. These photos document life from 1840-1940. 

Check out this book at the Library (941.5 SEX)

The Story of Ireland: A History of the Irish People by Neil Hegarty is a comprehensive and engaging account of a nation that has long been shaped by forces beyond its coasts. This book re-examines Irish history, challenging the accepted stories and long-held myths associated with Ireland starting from A.D. 433. 

Check out this book at the Library (941.5 HEG)

The classic memoir, Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, takes readers through the authors childhood in both depression-era Brookyln and the slums of Limerick, Ireland. An excerpt from the book says it all- “When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.”

Check out this book at the Library (BIOG MCCOURT MCC) or through our apps- Overdrive and Hoopla.


 


IRISH MOVIES:

Once is a beautiful contemporary love story. An unnamed Guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. An unnamed Girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night. 

Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc. During the same several day period, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs.

Check this movie out at the Library (DVD ONC)

If you are looking for a classic, try The Quiet Man starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Sean Thornton has returned from America to reclaim his homestead in Ireland and escape his past. Sean's eye is caught by Mary Kate Danaher, a beautiful but poor maiden, and younger sister of ill-tempered "Red" Will Danaher. A riotous relationship forms between Sean and Mary Kate, as Will attempts to keep them apart.

Check this movie out at the Library (DVD QUI)









IRISH MUSIC:

The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk group who came about in the 1960s as part of the American folk music revival. They popularized Irish traditional music in the United States and revitalized it in Ireland.

Stream or download their albums on the Hoopla app.

If you like your music a little more loud and in your face, try the Celtic punk band, Dropkick Murphys. The Massachusetts based band has released nine albums.

Stream or download all of their albums on the Hoopla app.