Friday Links
March 17, 2023
The most beautiful version of “Danny Boy”, Seamus Heaney, W.B. Yeats recited by Cillian Murphy, Collette Bryce, Scythian, In Their Thousands, Mick Flannery, Jim McCann sings “Grace”, Van Morrison sings “Carrickfergus”, Iarla Ó Lionáird & Steve Cooney
Daniel McInerny’s not to be missed Substack, The Comic Muse
Haley Stewart in Church Life Journal: A Knight in St. Patrick’s Purgatory
Phil and Jake chat with MBD about his beautiful book, My Father Left Me Ireland, and more on Manifesto! A Podcast
Roddy Doyle reads Maeve Brennan
Janille Stephens reviews Brian Doyle’s Mink River
And some news you can use…
The most beautiful version of “Danny Boy” (prayer for her), Seamus Heaney, W.B. Yeats recited by Cillian Murphy, Collette Bryce, Scythian, In Their Thousands, Mick Flannery, Jim McCann sings “Grace”, more Yeats by Dearbhla Molloy, the incomparable Dolores Keane, Van Morrison and The Chieftains Mary Black, Danny O, Róisín O, Iarla Ó Lionáird & Steve Cooney
A miscellany of some of my favorite Irish things for St. Patrick’s Day, including some Irish poetry and music. Enjoy!
Daniel McInerny’s not to be missed Substack, The Comic Muse
Daniel McInerny’s new book is out and it looks fantastic! His Substack is well worth a read for writers and readers alike.
Haley Stewart in Church Life Journal: A Knight in St. Patrick’s Purgatory
In this essay, Haley Stewart explores the role of suffering and purgation as a means of sanctification. St. Patrick’s Purgatory (also known as Station Island or Lough Derg) is a real place. One jet-lagged June day, I found myself on a ferry, heading to Station Island for the three day Lough Derg Pilgrimage. It was chilly and wet and the midges (small, gnat-like bugs that bite) were a small army of annoyance and I’d been forced into what sounded like madness to me. The pilgrimage begins with a fast at home, starting at midnight, then an early wake up and a long drive, followed by a ferry ride. Once on the island, pilgrims are shown to a dorm room where they remove their shoes and socks and, in my case, look longingly at the bed that will not sleep in for more than 24 hours. Then, it’s outside for hours of praying, fasting, kneeling, standing cruciform, and walking over sharp rocks in cold, wet, windy weather, while hungry and barefoot, through a series of penitential stations. The Lough Derg pilgrimage is considered one of the hardest pilgrimages in Christendom. I agree.
Phil and Jake chat with MBD about his beautiful book, My Father Left Me Ireland, and more on Manifesto! A Podcast
Not surprisingly, this is one of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite podcasts. Michael Brendan Dougherty wrote a tender, beautiful book, My Father Left Me Ireland. In this episode, he talks about it, and more, with Phil Klay and Jacob Siegel on the always interesting Manifesto! A Podcast. One of the things that I love most about this podcast is that Klay and Siegel try to understand the manifestos and the art without demanding answers or pretending they have them. This particular episode is really wonderful. Please give it a listen.
Roddy Doyle reads Maeve Brennan
If you’ve never heard of Maeve Brennan, you’re in for a treat. She is one of the finest short story writers ever. In this episode of the New Yorker Fiction podcast, Roddy Doyle reads her short story, Christmas Eve, and discusses his relationship with her. Brennan’s short story collection, The Springs of Affection, is exquisite. I don’t understand why she doesn’t have a bigger following. The restraint of her finely tuned stories infuses them with a quiet intensity so that they linger long after the book is re-shelved. Every once in awhile there’s a Maeve Brennan revival. Let’s start one now.
Janille Stephens reviews Brian Doyle’s Mink River
I love this review by Janille. She admits right away that she didn’t want to like the book, all because “Brian Doyle makes goodness believable—profoundly believable, excruciatingly believable.” Read Janille’s review. Read Brian Doyle. You won’t regret it.
And, finally, some news you can use…
Wellspring: Hand, Heart, Mind, & Soul: Exploring Motherhood, Faith, & Creativity
On March 21st from 10-11:30am ET on Zoom, Wellspring will gather with four women, all of whom practice their artistry in different mediums, and are at different stages in their mothering journeys, but who are bound together by their perseverance in pursuing these three areas of life: mothering, making, and the life of faith.
Catholic Literary Arts: Summer High School Writers Institute
CLA has a wonderful opportunity for teens this summer from June 12-16. Lesley Clinton is directing the High School Writers Institute. Teen writers will learn from James Matthew Wilson, Director of the University of St. Thomas MFA in Creative Writing program, and other stellar instructors. This is a fantastic chance for your teen to learn from the best!
