Nichola

I also loved "Round Ireland with a Fridge". Another book which is similar but without the fridge is "McCarthy's Bar" by Pete McCarthy.

andagainfor

another one for 'Round Ireland with a Fridge' and 'McCarthys Bar'

herb nolan

Hugh Leonard`s autobiographies-Home Before Night and Out After Dark- are very entertaining.One of his plays-DA-is currently worth visiting in Dublin`s Abbey Theatre.

bill

I have the Bord Failte book entitled simply "Ireland Guide". Surprised nobody has mentioned it. One would think that they might actually be Ireland Experts. The book is very good. It includes must see options for every region and a very very useful bad weather options section. I found it at Barnes & Noble. Also, I thought the info in the Michelin green guide was very good, but the arrangement of the book is poor (alphabetical instead of by region).

I haven't gotten Michele's book yet, I guess I better. Her fans are rabid to say the least. Seriously, people get books for different reasons. Apparently this book didn't work for Joyce. Lighten up folks.

Bill

Tahl

Helen: you asked why people often don't use their real email addresses on this site.

I used to -- but then got deluged with spam, from sellers of all sorts of appalling dreck (mostly not travel-related) who go through sites like this just collecting email addresses.

I feel sort of bad about shifting to an alias -- I miss getting periodic personal emails from fellow Fodorites who wanted to continue a discussion offline. But given the spam problem, I feel it's my best option.

xxx

Another thumbs up for "McCarthy's Bar". Very funny.

David D.

Dear Molly,

Given Ireland's rich literary tradition, it would be hard selecting just a few choice nuggets. Also, do you prefer your Irish lit. heavy and dark, or something a bit more breezy?

Allow me to offer a few:

1) Anything by John McGahern (for starters, try The Barracks; it's haunting and brilliant).

2) The same goes for William Trevor (consider Felicia Journey, or his latest, The Story of Lucie Gault, which has received strong reviews).

3) Colm Toibin's The South is a memorable novel. Also, the same author has a first-rate work of non-fiction concerning Ireland's border with the North. The author walked from end to end. The title escapes me, but Amazon.com would carry it, and its well worth the effort.

4) Niall Williams and Christine Breen have written a series of memoirs of their life and travels in Ireland. Their latest work, The Luck of the Irish, is particularly strong, but I trust you'd enjoy any in this series. My wife is a huge fan. Williams, by the way, has gone on to become a successful novelist. While his books sometimes lapse into sentimentality, he's a talented author, and his Four Letters of Love and As It Is in Heaven are both worthwhile reads.

Best of luck.

xxx

Around Ireland with a Fridge....laugh out loud funny.

sam

1916 by Morgan Lle - ugh - can't spell the last name, someone mentioned it above, fictionalized account of the uprising is really good. "Tread Softly on my Dreams" is fantastic as well. McCarthy's Bar is hysterical. The Nora Roberts trilogy with "Jewels in the Sun" will make you want to move there and write a book.

xx

Sam it is Morgan Llewellyn. My additions are both by Cathy Cash Spellman: An Excess of Love and So Many Partings. Break out the tissue!

winky

tops

Bree70

I liked "Ireland For Dummies". Learned not to order two pints with two fingers with your rings facing outward. It means f*** you! I have not found this information in any of our other Ireland travel books.