Rashers Tierney's Blog

Join us from 5 to 7pm on Wednesday, March 16th, 2016 for a book signing at PIQ in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. Come meet author Rashers Tierney (aka Seamus Mullarkey) and:

Listen to a reading with funny Irish accents
Get personalized autographed copies
Soak up St. Patrick’s Eve atmosphere in Grand Central
Browse PIQ’s beautiful store and amazing range of original gifts and books
Take the opportunity to boost your IQ (Irish Quotient)

While my love of and fascination with the rich history of the emerald isle led me to scribble my humble new tome (Fuck You I’m Irish, available from Amazon and other fine book retailers), I am far from the first author to turn his attention on this endlessly fascinating country. Lately, I’ve taken to reviewing those Irish-focused books that catch my fancy and posting those reviews on my Goodreads account. Here now I present a handful of those reviews, in hopes stoking your curiosity about all things Ireland, and sharing even more of this island’s rich history!

The Feckin’ Book of Everything Irish: A Gansey-Load of Deadly Craic for Cute Hoors and Bowsies

by Colin Murphy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A barrel of laughs and an encyclopedia’s worth of facts. Those who are Irish will smile in wry recognition; those who aren’t will wonder how one nation could be so feckin’-bleedin’-mighty!

101 Things You Didn’t Know about Irish History: The People, Places, Culture, and Tradition of the Emerald Isle

by Ryan Hackney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A concise yet thorough journey through the many twists and turns in Ireland’s story. Chocked full of detail, yet an easy and enjoyable read.

The Great Shame: And the Triumph of the Irish in the English-Speaking World

by Thomas Keneally

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Perhaps the most influential and widely-read contemporary account of The Great Famine. Provides an unparalleled account of the widespread after-effects of Black ’47–both in Ireland and throughout the far-flung Irish diaspora.

The Story of Ireland: A History of the Irish People

by Neil Hegarty

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

And what a story it is! Hegarty brings this complex, meandering tale of misfortune, hope, and dogged determination to life with the grace of a true Irish storyteller combined with razor-sharp analysis

How the Irish Saved Civilization

by Thomas Cahill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A book that richly deserves its incredible success. Learn how a band of monastic communities on an island mercifully isolated from the constant conflicts of the Dark Ages catalogued and protected vast amounts of information in many branches of knowledge–that would otherwise have been lost. An entertaining (and hugely informative)read.

View all my reviews

You’re going to see a lot of shamrocks around St. Patrick’s Day. This jaunty three-leafed plant will be on T-shirts, billboards, and even painted on faces. This intrepid little plant will be just about everywhere. Have you ever wondered what you do actually know about the dear old shamrock? Well, whether you’re an expert in all things related to the Emerald Isle or a “sham” when it comes to Irish trivia, you’ll find these little jewels of knowledge entertaining—and educational.

1. Shamrock = the official symbol of Ireland? Well, I’m afraid not. The shamrock is widely associated with Ireland, decorates many Irish books, is carved onto buildings and statues, and features prominently on many organizations that are important in the Irish community. However, Ireland’s official symbol is the harp. This is what appears on government documents, official proclamations, and every kind of certificate and award.

2. The year of the Shamrock shortage! Normally, the shamrock is to be found in abundance throughout the Irish landscape, growing wild in fields, lawns and in grassy verges by the roadside. Due to a bitterly cold winter in 2010, tirfoloin duin, the naturally occurring three-leaf plant usually considered the real shamrock was in very scarce supply. This dire situation was a matter of national media debate in Ireland. People actually resorted to wearing other three-leaved little plants that weren’t shamrocks… We pray to St. Patrick himself that such an awful situation may never arise again.

3. The word shamrock has nothing to do with “sham.” It’s based on the Gaelic word “seamrog,” which means small clover. Diminutive in size though this plant maybe, it’s outsized in its impact on both Irish heritage and on contemporary life.

4. Shamrock is associated with St. Patrick because he supposedly used it is an evangelical message to explain the three elements of the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Ever since then it has been associated with him.

5. Four towns in the US are named after shamrocks, Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia, Shamrock, Texas, Shamrock Lakes, Indiana and Shamrock, Oaklahoma. Unfortunately, Ireland doesn’t have any towns named Shamrock—it might be gilding the lily—or the shamrock, as it were.

6. Ireland’s national airline Aer Lingus, has a shamrock on the tail of all its aircraft. All Aer Lingus use “Shamrock” as their call signal to air traffic control. “Shamrock to ground control, over…”

7. The shamrock was successfully registered as a trademark by the Irish government and is used by official bodies such as Tourism Ireland and Ireland’s IDA (the Industrial Development Authority).

8. The shamrock has been featured in numerous songs and poems, including Thomas Moore’s ballad “Oh The Shamrock“:

Oh the Shamrock, the green immortal Shamrock!

Chosen leaf

Of Bard and Chief,

Old Erin’s native Shamrock!

9. Of all the traditions associated with the shamrock, none is perhaps more iconic (and indeed more popular) than that of “drowning the shamrock.” In its original incarnation, this traditional ritual dates to when the Lenten fasting was strictly adhered to. March 17th was the one day during Lent when the rules were suspended. A shamrock was placed in the last drink of the day, then retrieved and tossed over the drinker’s left shoulder. Finally, the contents of the glass are quaffed to observe Ireland’s feast day with style.

10. Although not poisonous, shamrocks have a sour taste and wouldn’t be consumed. Although some references to the Irish eating shamrocks exist, it seems these were related either people consuming wood sorrel, a similar plant and which is rather more palatable as a foodstuff.

Stoke your Irish pride with more trivia

from my new book, F*ck You I’m Irish.

By popular demand, we’re running another Goodreads Giveaway. Enter by March 24, 2015 to win a signed copy of F*k You I’m Irish. Click Here to Enter.

The Irish feelings about tea run strong and hot (like a good cup!), and also like a finely brewed teapot of this miraculous beverage, those feelings are best shared with others. So take a break, put the kettle on, and enlighten yourself about how much the Irish love to drink (tea).

Endless Rivers of Tea

The Irish are the world’s greatest tea drinkers, consuming 6 pound per capita per year. If you’ve spent any time in an Irish household, you’ll know how vital and revered the consumption of this warming beverage is. Not merely a refreshing beverage, it serves a multitude of functions at various times of the day. A strongly brewed cup kick starts your morning and gives you the energy to deal with the world’s catastrophes in the newspapers, or indeed overcome the fierce thump thump of your hangover. Further cups facilitate just about every conceivable interaction.

Tea for Two—or Ten Thousand

It’s considered downright rude not to offer anybody who enters your home some tea. So whether it’s your long-lost Uncle Ned or the repairman, everybody—long-lost love, tradesman, or complete stranger–expects to be offered at least “a cup in the hand.” Please note that no matter how many people turn up, you’re expected to have enough for absolutely everybody. Never be caught short, it’s equivalent to the well running dry—a catastrophe not likely to be forgotten—or forgiven.

Sure, You Will Have a Cup?!

The downside to all this tea-drinking is that sometimes it can be downright awkward (or even impossible) to decline if you just don’t feel like it. Irish people won’t understand why you might not fancy a cup. Every time is the right time for tea in Irish culture. So, if you plan a visit to Ireland be prepared to drink lots! Or, have a note from your doctor saying that you’re allergic—a horrible misfortune sure to elicit profound sympathy: a fate worse than death for any Irish person…

Tea Break

In both workplaces and in the home, a cup of tea is the signal that it’s time to down tools and take a break. It can break an awkward silence or be the proverbial white flag that marks the end of a heated discussion or testy argument. In fact, pubs are legally required to provide it. Even the most tongue-tied or timid find that this magical elixir keeps the chat (and the craic) flowing.

How do you feel about tea? Leave us a comment and let us know!

 

The delightful Irish way of telling a story is a complex and elaborate one, complete with wild exaggerations, a certain delight in improbable fantasy, and a heightened sense of drama. So, it’s no wonder that with all this innate tale-telling ability that Ireland has won just as many Nobel Prizes for Literature as France—a country more than eight times its size…

W.B. Yeats

Poet as well as founder of Ireland’s Abbey Theatre, Yeats was the first Irish person to snag a Nobel for Literature in 1925. This cultural giant is best known for his Celtic-inspired works with their haunting allusions and evocative scene setting. However, did you know that Yeats was an ardent Spiritualist? He and his wife participated in numerous séances and induced trances to gain creative inspiration from otherworldly sources.

George Bernard Shaw

Most people know 1925 Nobel-prizewinner Shaw for his play “Pygmalion,” transformed into the stage musical and film “My Fair Lady,” but few remember that he was a co-founder of the London School of Economics. His interests were very wide-ranging and as well as being a committed socialist, he dedicated a significant portion of his legacy to funding a new, more phonetically accurate alphabet for the English language.

Samuel Beckett

Many theatregoers know Beckett for his tragicomic masterpiece “Waiting for Godot,” but perhaps his most unusual work was his 1969 drama “Breath.” This peculiar work lasts 35 seconds and has no characters. Given the overall austere tone of his work, it is no wonder that he wanted his gravestone to be “any colour, so long as it’s grey.”

Seamus Heaney
photo by Simon Garbutt

Described at his death in 2013 as “probably the best-known poet in the world,” this Northern Irish poet of nationalist sympathies was an eloquent man of letters also known for his straightforward, no-nonsense personal style. For instance, he turned down an offer to be Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom. Then he went on to turn down the honor of being included in the prestigious “Penguin Book of Contemporary British Poetry” as follows:

“Don’t be surprised if I demur, for, be advised

My passport’s green.

No glass of ours was ever raised

To toast The Queen”

Want more amazing Irish trivia?
Enter our ebook giveaway! ENDS 2/27

Did you know we’re @EffYouImIrish on Twitter? Now you do!

Do you want to win a FREE Kindle copy of my humble little trivia book? Of course you do!

Would you also like to win a $20 Amazon credit? You’re right, that *is* a stupid question!

How might one enter such a giveaway? I’m so glad you asked!

Just head on over to the Twitter and follow @effyouimirish , THEN
Come back here and comment on this post with your Twitter handle so I know who you are! (Or, if you prefer, you can comment on this Facebook post with your Twitter username instead.)

The deadline to enter is 11:59pm Eastern on Friday February 27, 2015. I’ll pick one of the follower/commenters at random, and the winner will receive a free Amazon ebook copy of FYII. The winner will be announced here on Saturday, February 28th.

Note: No prize substitutions. Winner must respond with contact information within five days or a new winner will be selected.

The Irish have an affinity for show business that dates back to our bardic traditions when poets, musicians and storytellers would travel from one castle to the other, using the dramatic arts to pay tribute to the lords and chieftains. So, it’s hardly any surprise that the modern Irish have pretty much made the film world their own—with great distinction we might add…

The Most Successful Irishman at the Academy Awards

It should be no wonder then that the “Oscar” statuette presented each year at the Academy Awards was designed by Dublin-born Cedric Gibbons, who was considered MGM’s top set designer during Hollywood’s heyday. Besides designing the coveted Oscar, Gibbons even managed to win a dozen of them for himself. As they say in Ireland (and elsewhere!), nice work if you can get it!

A Shout-out to Mr. Shaw

Did you know that in 1938 when Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw won the screenplay Oscar for the film Pygmalion he became the only person ever to be awarded both an Oscar and a Nobel prize?

Try, try again

The Irish are known for never giving up, so the tale of the legendary Peter O’Toole is particularly moving. Most famous for playing Lawrence of Arabia, Mr. O’Toole was nominated eight times but never won an Oscar. This is most number of times somebody has been nominated without winning an award. However the screen veteran was given a well-deserved Honorary Academy Award in 2003. In his acceptance speech he valiantly vowed to one day “win the lovely bugger outright.”

He almost won it twice—at the same time

In 1944, Barry Fitzgerald won an Oscar for his role as Father Fitzgerald in the smash hit Going My Way. Fitzgerald also holds the dubious distinction of being the first and only person to be nominated in both the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories for the same film. After that awkward moment, the Academy changed the rules so this could never happen again.

Do you have a favorite Irish Oscar winner (or nominee)? Let us know about them in the comments!

My Irish-born great-grand-mother, “Granny Bridget” was one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. She was a champion Irish step dancer well into her ninth decade—as well as an accomplished amateur philatelist who assembled what many believe was the largest privately-held collection of green stamps in North America.

Granny, I hope you’re dancing a jig about this new book. In any case, you’d better not be turning in your grave. I did my best. Honest, I did…

Irish pride has sparked parades, breakfast cereal, beer, riots, international holidays, the fame of Liam Neeson, sports mascots, more beer, and now, this book which I hope you’ll enjoy

As an author, I’ve tried to make Irish culture, history, and general weirdness come to life with snappy entries on everything from snake-chasing saints, cute hoors, and ruthless independence fighters to acclaimed authors, superstar rock bands, and fair-skinned super models.