Latest news with #CountyTipperary
Washington Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
‘Heart, Be at Peace' is the perfect title for this Irish gem
Donal Ryan has set his novels chiefly in and around his native Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland, filling them with characters whose stories become the background of subsequent books. 'Heart, Be at Peace,' winner of last year's award for Irish Book of the Year, however, is a sequel. It picks up from his first novel, 'The Spinning Heart,' a short, brilliant work set in the aftermath of the collapse of the property boom of 2008. Set about a decade after that book ended, 'Heart' explores how contemporary problems — social media, drugs — affect this small town. Like its predecessor, the story emerges gradually, as each character contributes a confessional strand to the tangled connections among them.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: Donal Ryan's spellbinding sequel in 21 voices continues the saga of a small Irish town
In 2014 Donal Ryan published a novel in the U.S. called 'The Spinning Heart' about a rural Irish town after the 2008 financial collapse. It was narrated by a chorus of voices, one per chapter, and at the center was a good-hearted contractor, Bobby Mahon. Ryan's latest book is a spellbinding sequel, 'Heart, Be at Peace,' that works just fine on its own. It chronicles the changes that have buffeted Nenagh, County Tipperary, in the decade since the recession. Once again, the story is told by 21 townspeople, including one who has died, and Bobby is at the center. Over the years he has done well for himself with a 'kitchen the size of a soccer pitch' and a 'marble island in the middle of it that you could feed an army at,' as one envious frenemy grouses. But recently Bobby has been having panic attacks because a compromising picture of him at a stag party in Amsterdam has been making the rounds. Also, he is worried sick about the drug dealers lurking around town in cars with blacked-out windows, posing a threat to the children, including his own. Another member of the chorus is Lily, who describes herself as 'witch by training' and prostitute by inclination. She learned her magic from a Roma woman who settled in the town, 'caught roots' and married a local. Lily adores her beautiful granddaughter, Millicent — her long legs, blue eyes and 'the shine off of her like the sun on the water of the lake.' They go for long walks in the meadows, gathering wild garlic, dock leaves and sorrel, but lately, the girl has fallen under the spell of Augie Penrose, the ringleader of the drug dealers, and Granny knows in her heart it will not end well. Bobby, Lily, Millicent and all the others see the town and its residents, including the newcomers from Eastern Europe, from a different perspective. Together, they narrate a gripping story that is heartbreaking, funny and occasionally raunchy of a beaten-down but resilient community that embodies the best and worst of humanity. The book ends with a monologue from Bobby's preternaturally wise and forbearing wife, Triona, who is puzzling over a dramatic plot development in the last chapter. 'There's more to that story, a lot more I'd say, but it'll be told elsewhere, I'm sure.' If she is right, then perhaps Ryan is already planning the third installment of a trilogy. What a gift that would be for readers everywhere. ___ AP book reviews:
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Blackmore - the humble pioneer who transformed racing
"I don't feel male or female right now. I don't even feel human."A memorable line from Rachael Blackmore after she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National when triumphing on Minella Times in she retires from the saddle aged 35, Blackmore can rightly be called a game changer who was among the best of her a sport in which male and female riders compete on a level playing field, punters did not focus on whether she was a man or woman. She was just a top self-effacing pioneer went about setting landmarks with a quiet humility as the first woman to:Win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, with Honeysuckle, in 2021Become the Cheltenham Festival meeting's leading rider, in the same yearLand the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with A Plus Tard in 2022 Win the National a few weeks later The daughter of a dairy farmer and a school teacher, she rode ponies as a child near her home in Killenaule, County Tipperary, in the Republic of gained a degree in equine science with hopes of becoming a vet but combined her studies with riding out and competing as an first winner came aboard Stowaway Pearl for John 'Shark' Hanlon at Thurles in 2011, and she turned professional four years of her success came through an association with trainer Henry de Bromhead, while some of her early opportunities can be attributed to Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary and his Gigginstown House Stud team."We identified Rachael early on as a very good jockey - not a female jockey - and we put her on all the Gigginstown Horses with Henry and Joseph [O'Brien]," he said after her National victory."Her hard work and intelligence has done all the rest." Instinct, timing, tactical awareness and strength all played a part in her story. But also the ability to bounce back from falls and injury, plus sheer hard she rode six winners to be leading jockey at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, she may not have returned to grand fanfare at a meeting held behind closed doors because of Covid-19 restrictions, but the impact was still felt. Her tally was more than the entire British training Blackmore, and fellow jockeys Lizzie Kelly and Bryony Frost, successes for female jockeys at Cheltenham were a rarity and largely came through amateur riders Katie Walsh and Nina Walsh, Carberry and Kelly now retired and Frost moving to France after finding opportunities limited since winning a bullying case against fellow jockey Robbie Dunne, it will be interesting to see if other women can rise to the fore in jump two days ago, Hollie Doyle passed Hayley Turner's record for winners by a female jockey on the Flat, but Blackmore was only of only two professional women - the other being Isobel Williams - riding at this year's Cheltenham Festival. While Blackmore has not outlined the reasons for her retirement, Walsh and Carberry stopped at similar ages before starting ended their careers with winners at Ireland's showpiece Punchestown Festival and maybe Blackmore intended to do the same, but she unusually ended the recent meeting without a suffered a bad neck injury in a fall earlier this season and only returned to action in December after three months took success for women to another level, competing for a historic Irish champion jockey title before twice finishing runner-up to Paul achievements transcended racing. Victory in the National, watched by an estimated 500 million people worldwide, made headlines around the globe, and she was voted World Sport Star at the 2021 BBC Sports Personality awards."The support has been incredible. I got such a kick out of being on that list of nominees," she nominees included tennis star Novak Djokovic, boxing great Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and American football quarterback Tom whose partner Brian Hayes is also a jockey, did not revel in the limelight - she preferred to get on with the business of riding winners - but spoke thoughtfully when Bromhead said she was a great support after his 13-year-old son Jack died in a riding accident in September pair's victory with Honeysuckle in the horse's swansong in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March 2023 sparked jubilant and emotional grabbed every vantage point to cheer the winner into the paddock. The roars were for the trainer and horse, but the rider too. Just mention the name 'Rachael' at the races, and everyone knew who you Honeysuckle in the winner's enclosure, a rainbow appeared on the horizon."We all wish a very special kid could be here today but he's watching down on us," said partnership with Honeysuckle was a great match. Seventeen wins from 19 races, including four at the Cheltenham Festival. All with the same jockey on will be remembered for a series of firsts, and potentially paving the way for others."Ah, look, it's brilliant, but I won't be the last. I'm delighted for myself anyway," she said after winning the National."I just hope it shows it doesn't matter, male or female. Plenty of people have gone before me and done that - Katie Walsh was third here on Seabass. All those things help girls coming along, but I don't think it's a major talking point any more."When Blackmore won the Gold Cup on A Plus Tard, she earned praise from the Cheltenham Festival's all-time leading rider Ruby Walsh."She's inspiring kids everywhere. It's incredible the interest she's driving in the sport. You need role models like that for the sport and the industry, she's box office," he the 'This Girl Can' campaign, launched 10 years ago, encouraged more women to be active, Rachael Blackmore wanted to realise a dream of being at the summit of her sport. This girl did.
