Pipes are Calling: Our Jaunts Through Ireland [Paperback]

Niall Williams (Author), Christine Breen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

With two-year old Deidre in her baby seat, Niall Williams and Christine Breen take to the backroads and boreens of Ireland in their third book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An Irish-American couple and their daughter explore western Ireland's attractions, including the popular Kerry Puck Fair and the more remote islands and seacoasts of Ulster. "In alternating chapters, the authors share their joy in Ireland's largely unspoiled natural beauty," said PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The continuing annals of County Clare. The first volume ( O Come Ye Back to Ireland, LJ 10/15/87) chronicled a young couple's flight from Manhattan skyscraper to Irish cottage; the second ( When Summer's in the Meadow, 2/15/89) added baby Deirdre; and this latest installment tells of forays with child across the Emerald Isle. The authors are superb surrogates for armchair tourists amused by an Ireland that is unfailingly charming in an invariably preindustrial sort of way. The latest is irresistible for the now identifiable Williams/Breen prose dialog recounting travel through familiar places (Dublin, Kerry, etc.) in a familiar manner (bed-and-breakfast). More volumes will no doubt follow: a true cottage industry.--John P. Harrington, The Cooper Union, New York correction: Our review of Richard Laermer's Native's Guide to New York (LJ 12/89), published by Prima and distributed by St. Martin's, incorrectly stated that the book lacked information on street fairs, crafts fairs, and festivals. In fact, there is a chapter on "Best Festivals" and another on "Auctions, Shows, and Fairs." We apolo gize for the error.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Soho Press (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939149524
• ISBN-13: 978-0939149520
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #721,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pipes Are Calling : Our Jaunts Through Ireland, April 28, 2000

By 

CBWriter "Jude" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pipes are Calling: Our Jaunts Through Ireland (Paperback)

This book is truly a magnificent piece of writing. Niall Williams and Christine Breen describe their jaunts with their daughter Deirdre so clearly that you are with them in their car as they experience the excitement as they travel the back roads of Ireland -- all of the the sights, smells, sounds and feelings of the different places the travel to, and best of all their life back home in Kiltumper.

They fill the book with wonderful homey anecdotes about their travels, life at their farm and with their neighbors. Stories that not only open the door into their lives, but welcome you in with a steaming mug of tea and a hearty slice of Christine's Brown Bread.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very personal and different travelogue, February 22, 2009

By 

Knud A. Hermansen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pipes are Calling: Our Jaunts Through Ireland (Paperback)

This is a rather different style of travelogue about a couple and their new daughter exploring Ireland from their home base in County Clare in western Ireland. The book takes places over the year of 1989 and loosely centers around the question "is Irish hospitality still alive". As one would expect, they come to the conclusion, over the course of their journeys, that it is.

I found the individual stories to be well written and interesting, but the overall book left me wanting a little more about the places they visited and less about "then we went there and did this". I myself also lacked enough Irish geography to always picture where they traveled.

The chapters center around their trips to various parts of Ireland and focus on the hospitality they find at the various bed & breakfasts at which they stay. The observe a lot of interesting cultural events from a community dance, to street music festival, to a grayhound race to a horse fair. It is an interestingly eclectic mix that often surprised me.

If you have been to Ireland or have connections there, I suspect you will find this an interesting book as it touches upon places than you have a connection to. For me, I will be looking for other authors' travelogues.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN ENJOYABLE BOOK, May 25, 2008

By 

J. Hamil "mamtech" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pipes are Calling: Our Jaunts Through Ireland (Paperback)

I don't think anyone who loves Ireland will be disappointed in this book. It is very well written, moves right along. You get a sincere taste of life in Ireland as it was in the 80's. So much has changed now compared to then. I enjoyed this book so much that I have purchase the next 2 written in sequence to this book. Just about finished with the 3rd (got them out of sequence).
The thought of 2 city people uprooting their lives to live in the "wilds" of West Ireland is amazing. It's a wonder they stuck with the country life, considering how primitive it was in the 80's.
Just enjoy reading this relaxing enjoyable book. I am sure you will not be disappointed.