Another Country: Growing Up in the 50s Ireland [Paperback]

Gene Kerrigan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 1998

In his highly addictive style, Gene Kerrigan effortlessly reconstructs the Ireland of the 1950s and early 1960s in which he grew up. An adult world of absolute moral certainties, casual cruelties and mass emigration; for children an age of innocence, but innocence hemmed in by fear and guilt. In this brilliant and humorous memoir, Kerrigan tells of a world that now seems as distant as another country. Into the details of school, street and family life, of Christmas, First Communion, school violence, CIE Mystery Tours and the arrival of television, are woven the political background of the day, and recollection of the impact of major figures: Michael O' Hehir, Lemass, Dev, JFK, not to mention Hector Grey, Shane, Davy Crockett and Audie Murphy. It's an account of a happy childhood in a country that was itself far from happy. Other books by Gene Kerrigan Hard Cases Never Make a Promise You Can't Break This Great Little Nation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gene Kerrigan grew up in Cabra West, in Dublin. He was Journalist of the Year in 1985 and 1990. He is the author of a number of books, including the bestselling 'Hard Cases'. He writes for the 'Sunday Independent'.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Gill & Macmillan Ltd (March 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0717127451
• ISBN-13: 978-0717127450
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,815,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent piece of recent history, January 31, 2001

By 

John McCarthy (Maynooth, Co.Kildare Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Another Country: Growing Up in the 50s Ireland (Paperback)

I picked up this book while waiting at Dublun Airport, and at a cursory glance, saw that this told the real story of Dublin in the 50's. It was just like reading the story of my own childhood. The prejudices, the puritanical "straight-laced" attitudes, which were designed to turn out designer kids... models of the establishment which needed an easy means to control and protect its own environment. However, to say that it is a depressing book would not be true, as the mischevious traits of the young characters proved that the supression of their individuality and personality was a lost cause from the beginning.