Hello and welcome
to this week’s issue of Ireland’s Own

We are delighted to present this week’s cover story – Stand and Deliver! Ireland’s highwaymen proved popular amongst the native Irish as they generally targeted planters or the gentry, writes Colm Wallace as he delves into the history of these fascinating characters who spread terror among the upper classes when they lurked, and attacked, from the roadways of old Ireland.

Éamon de Buitléar, the wildlife filmmaker, naturalist, musician, and writer, is remembered by Sheila O’Kelly while in her ‘Literary Trail Through Ireland’, Mary Angland profiles Kildare-born novelist and playwright Molly Keane. John Hogan, the Waterford-man, was one of the most important Irish sculptors of the 19th century, writes Paddy Ryan.

In his ‘Role of the Irish in WW2’ series, Con McGrath features Mike Sinclair, ‘The Red Fox of Colditz’. The Ballad Sheet returns with Eugene Dunphy profiling the songwriter who captured in verse a memorable week-end in Douglas in his song ‘The Crack Was Ninety in the Isle of Man’. In his piece ‘More Words’ Nicky Rossiter explains the origins of some everyday words and phrases.

Placenames provide a lens into the natural, social and political worlds of times past, writes Anthony O’Halloran, while in ‘Maxtrax with Eleanor McEvoy’, the singer-songwriter tells Maxi about the songs she thinks form the soundtrack to her life. Willie Duggan certainly was one of a kind, and John Scally recalls the Kilkenny No. 8, regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest ever rugby players.

This week’s original short story is ‘The Sound of Silence’ by Paula Williams. In ‘Poems We Learned at School’, Paddy Ryan continues his series on poems popular in our English Readers of yesteryear featuring ‘The Old Scottish Cavalier’ by William Edmondstoune Aytoun.

The Witness Statements continues as Eamonn Duggan brings us his analysis of Michael Brennan’s statement to the Bureau of Military History.

We have all this for you to enjoy alongside regular features Cassidy Says, Stranger Than Fiction, What’s In A Name?, Dan Conway, Pete’s Pets, Marjorie’s Kitchen, Song Words, Classic Films – Sweet Charity, Reflective Perspective, Irish Folklore with Eugene Daly, Otters And Geraniums by Patrick O’Sullivan, Readers’ Memories, Classic US TV Favourites – Supernatural, A Little Bit of Ireland Elsewhere – Kilkenny, Minnesota, Lilt of Irish Laughter, Pen Friends, Irish Wildlife – Common Frog and more. 

I hope that you enjoy this week’s issue and I will look forward to chatting to you all again next week. Until then, take care. 

Best regards, Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own