McCarthy's Bar: A Journey of Discovery in Ireland (Paragon Softcover Large Print Books) - Softcover

McCarthy, Pete

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0754092127 ISBN 13: 9780754092124

Publisher: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C, 2003

Synopsis

Pete was born in Warrington to an Irish mother and an English father and spent happy summer holidays in Cork. Years later, reflecting on the many places he has visited as a travel broadcaster, Pete admits that he feels more at home in Ireland than anywhere. To find out whether this is due to rose-coloured spectacles or to a deeper tie with the country of his ancestors, Pete sets off on a trip around Ireland and discovers that it has changed in surprising ways. Firstly obeying the rule 'never pass a pub with your name on it', he encounters McCarthy's bars up and down the land, and meets English hippies, German musicians, married priests and many others. A funny, affectionate look at one of the most popular countries in the world.

About this title

Review:

The premise of Pete McCarthy's first book is that you should never pass up the opportunity of having a drink in a bar that shares your name. There is clearly more to this plan than the obvious publicity stunt, since it seems to work with books as well--my favourite author is Cormac McCarthy and, after reading this hilarious, informed and intelligent book, I am tempted to buy books by every other McCarthy around.

Born in Warrington, Pete McCarthy decides to go back to rural Ireland, to rediscover his Irishness. The feeling that you have heard this sort of thing all before doesn't last for long. There is a serious writer struggling to make himself heard above the many excellent jokes and this is what makes McCarthy's book so distinctive. Although he can crack Brysonesque quips with the best of them ("I've often wondered how businessmen used to cope before [mobile phones] were invented. How did they tell their wives they were on the train?"), and take us through hilarious and largely drunken set-pieces, McCarthy is equally at home discussing Celtic standing stones and the potato famine.

The resulting book is a wonderful debut. By the end, we, too, would like to move to Ireland. You sense that McCarthy has such a genuine feeling for Ireland, Irishness and Irish history that he can only temper his writing with side-splitting humour. In this way, hisfirst book successfully embodies much of what it is to be Irish. --Toby Green

Review:

An engaging, evocative book. Four out of five stars (Daily Mail)

About this edition

• Publisher: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0754092127
• ISBN 13: 9780754092124
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 482