In a broad approximation of the rhythms of Irish speech --almost, one might say, with a touch of brogue -- Father Ward...
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LL OVER GOD'S IRISH HEAVEN
by ‧RELEASE DATE: March 17, 1964
In a broad approximation of the rhythms of Irish speech --almost, one might say, with a touch of brogue -- Father Ward reviews the experiences of his most recent journey through the Irish Republic. Many things have changed since he wrote God in an Irish Kitchen after his mid-'thirties visit, but some things --like the open-handed hospitality, the appreciation of books, the love of dancing -- remain quite the same. With little overt parochialism, he reports on the accomplishments of Muintir na Tire, the national confederation of parish guilds devoted to civic betterment, and the popularity of the rural dramatic clubs. Retracing some old steps and covering some unfamiliar ground, he picked up information on land reclamation of the Aran Islands, auto traffic and horse racing in Dublin, the history of the Legion of Mary, housing construction, rural electrification, and the two-edged problem of unemployment and emigration. There are several chapters on schooling and literacy, the status of religion and the clergy, and the fate of the Gaelic language. Every year, more and more non-Irish-Americans petition to take part in New York's St. Patrick's Day parade, and the folk-singing Clancy Brothers now have quite a few phonograph records on the American popularity charts, so a demand for this fey little book may well arise from some unexpected quarters.