15th December 2009

Stag Hunting

As a hunt supporter put it last night rural Ireland was not going to be dictated to by a man on a bicycle.
About 1,000 hunt supporters gathered in Trim last night to voice angry opposition at Minister John Gormley’s plan to revoke the Ward Hunt’s licence to stag hunt.
The Ward Union hunt is 155 years old and is based in Ratoath, County Meath….hunt supporters far a ban could sound the death knell for rural life. Opponents say stag hunting is barbaric

Pat was joined by Dan Boyle of the Green Party, Dick Power of the Hunting Association of Ireland and John Tierney Association of Hunt Saboteurs.

Temple Street Charities

In the run up to Christmas we are bringing you reports about people for whom the season can be a difficult time of year.
Yesterday we spoke to some of the homeless men who depend on the Capuchin Day Centre in Bow Street for their food. The centre gets a grant from government but relies on voluntary contributions to keep going. Brother Kevin contacted us after yesterday’s programme to say thank you to all our listeners who were so generous with their contributions after the programme.
This morning we turn to children in hospital and the plight of parents, particularly those from outside Dublin, whose children can be in hospital for up to months at a time. Valerie cox went to Temple Street…

Human Embryos

The Supreme Court has given its judgment this morning in a dispute between a separated husband and wife over the fate of three frozen embryos. The court unanimously decided against the 43 year old mother of two who wanted to have the embryos implanted in her womb.
It would have meant that she would become pregnant against the wishes of her estranged husband.
Dr Deirdre Madden,Senior lecturer on Law at UCC, who reported to the Government in 2005 recommending that there should be legislation on IVF, joined Pat to discuss this.

The Canadian Tenors

The Canadian Tenors have received rave reviews and standing ovations around the world for their repertoire that mixes classical and contemporary pop. They were acclaimed at the Tel Aviv Opera House where they shared the stage with Andrea Bocelli. They have performed for President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Shimon Peres. And tonight they are playing at our National Concert Hall.
They performed Hallelujah Silent Night in Studio 9 for Pat.

Children's books for Christmas

Its great to know that despite all the advances in
“techno toys “ for many children nothing can ever match the joy of receiving and reading a really good book.

Childrens books commentator Robert Dunbar has been choosing his favourite offerings for this Christmas and he joined Pat in studio. We also heard some irish language suggestions from Geraldine McKenna.

Some special Christmassy titles:

1. PJ Lynch: Classic Christmas Collection (Walker, ?30): A beautifully packaged, boxed set of three of Lynch’s best known titles – Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi and Susan Wojciechowski’s The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey - the last of these, now considered a modern classic, is a very touching story about a sad, lonely wood-carver, who is befriended by the Widow McDowell, a newcomer to his village, who, with her son, restores Jonathan to a measure of happiness.

2. Simon Stewart, illustrated by PJ Lynch: The Nutcracker (W5 – whowhatwherewhenwhy, £12.99):

A stunning new illustrated version of the well known story in which, one Christmas Eve, young Clara’s favourite Christmas present – a nutcracker doll – comes to life and Clara becomes drawn into magical adventures that lead from a battle with the Mouse King through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets.

3. Jeanette Winterson, illustrated by Rosalind MacCurrach: The Lion, the Unicorn and Me (Scholastic, £12.99): A very attractively designed book which relates the first Christmas story – but as seen through the eyes of a humble donkey.

Some Picture Books for 4-6 Year-Olds:

1. John Burningham: It’s A Secret (Walker, £11.99): What do cats get up to when they’re out on the town at night? It’s not really a secret – but it provides the material for a very entertaining story, beautifully written and illustrated by Burningham.

2. Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler: Tabby McTat (Scholastic, £10.99): A delightful rhyming story describes very amusingly the adventures of a busker’s cat which strays away from its owner.

3 Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick: There (Roaring Books Press, £12):

Magnificently illustrated story of a littler girl who speculates on what is involved in moving away from the ‘here’ of her present surroundings to the ‘there’ of her imaginings.

Four Books for 7-9 Year-Olds:

1. Natasha Mac a’Bháird, illustrated by Ray Forkan: Olanna’s Big Day (O’Brien, €7.99)
2. Eithne Massey, illustrated by Marie Thorhauge: The Dreaming Tree (O’Brien, €7.99)
3. The Romanian Builder Peter Prendergast, illustrated by Ross Stewart: (O’Brien, €7.99)
4. Enda Wyley, illustrated by Marie Thorhauge: I Won’t Go to China (O’Brien, €7.99)

These four books are published in a series called ‘Bridges’, excellently produced and illustrated. They recognise the fact that in recent years Ireland has evolved into an increasingly intercultural country and through a set of entertaining short stories, ideal for readers between 7 and 9, deal with themes such as friendship, family, adjustment to new surroundings and cultural differences.

Very warmly recommended, especially the Wyley title, which tells of a little Chinese boy torn between staying in Ireland and playing with his school football team or returning to China to see his grandmother for Chinese New Year.

Three Books for 10-12 Year-Olds:

1. Jane Mitchell: Chalkline (Walker, £5.99): A novel which takes on the contemporary ‘real’ world and deals with it in a way which makes it totally
accessible – and challenging – for a young reader: set in Kashmir, the novel traces the transformation of a young boy, Rafiq, into a boy soldier and the effects this transformation has on him and his family.

Alan Murphy: The Mona Lisa’s on our Fridge (AvantCard Publications, ?12.50) An Irish children’s poet makes his debut with this eye-catching and ear- bending collection – and provides the colourfully surreal collage illustrations as well: ‘So doff your hat but hold on to your head: / Just lose your logical limits instead’. A celebration of imagination and wit.

2. Geraldine McCaughrean: The Death Defying Pepper Roux (Oxford, £12.99): Pepper, on his 14th birthday, embarks on various colourful adventures, determined to thwart the prophecy made against him – that he will die on his birthday: apparently ‘serious’ theme, but lit up by some wildly humorous escapades.

Three Books for Teenagers:

1. Siobhhan Dowd: Solace of the Road (David Fickling, £10.99): 14-year-old Holly Hogan travels, by road and ferry, from London to Ireland to be reunited with her mother: it is a long, potentially dangerous journey, full of encounters and revelations en route.

2. Meg Rosoff: The Bride’s Farewell (Penguin £10.99): A young Victorian woman walks away from her wedding and, with her brother as companion, encounters many unexpected developments on her travels trough southern England.

3. BR Collins: A Trick 0f the Dark (Bloomsbury, £7.99): A teenage boy dies – or does he? – following a holiday accident: his sister sets out to solve the ‘mystery’, allowing Collins to create a supernatural thriller of strong emotions and strong language.

Béiríní ag Troid
Published by Futa Fata in Connemara, a company which translates many children’s books into Irish, and also releases cds for children in Irish.
Irish version is by Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin.
Translated from the French language.
Beautifully illustrated story about a little girl and her two bears who start to fight for her attention.
Simple tale in which toys come to life and it’s exactly the type of book that would make a beautiful Christmas present.
Suitable for children up to the age of 6

Cá bhfuil tú a Phádraig?
Published by An Gúm
Written and illustrated by a young artist called Lára Nic Oireachtaigh
Illustrations are beautiful and very striking.
It deals with the topical issue of the M3 being constructed through Tara, and the characters in the story are doing their best to protect Tara’s heritage and to prevent its destruction.
This is not the first story for children in the Irish language to deal with this issue – the well known poet Biddy Jenkinson published a children’s book, An Bhanríon Bess agus Gusaí Gaimbín, on the same topic two years ago. It’s obviously an issue that is close to the heart of several Irish-language writers.
Suitable for 8-12 year olds.

Deirdre agus Mic Uisnigh
The latest graphic novel in the Irish language
Relates the story of Deirdre of the Sorrows, from the group of tales called the Ulster Cycle.
One of the great epical tales in the Irish language
Published by Cló Mhaigh Eo
Its strength is that it introduces an entirely different readership to ancient Irish literature – young people who like the comic format, but who would generally be more comfortable reading books in English.
Since the beginning, Cló Mhaigh Eo has been working with the Cartoon Saloon (the illustration company that made the recent film the Secret of Kells), and the illustrations are of an exceptionally high quality as a result.

Gluaiseacht
Published by An Gúm
Written by Alan Titley, a well-known writer of young people’s fiction in the Irish language
Suitable for teenagers.
This is a new genre in the Irish language – it follows the journey of a refugee as he is illegally transported from Africa to Ireland.
The story is based on a young African boy travelling to Europe. He had an ordinary life in his village until one day after arriving home from the well he finds his village burnt out, its people dead and a smell of death in it. The author creates effective images of the terrible events in the village both after this event and throughout the whole book. The young boy flees home and finds himself on a journey to a place where there is said to be gold on the streets