Urban Government in the 1990s: Lessons from the USA Univ. Bristol, Schl. for Advanced Urban Studs. ( December, 1989 ) Book Our Price : £ 7.45 Prices subject to change. we are currently unable to offer this title. It may be out of stock with the publisher or out of print. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.

Witty observations on modern Irish politics. Tremendous

This is a splendid series of essays - actually the transcripts of radio commentaries- which in general describe facets of Irish politics. There are some sparkling moments - Bertie Aherns Middle East complex, describing a trendy area of Dublin as Dublins West Bank presumably meaning Left Bank, and a truly side-splitting description of a Sinn Fein T.D. moving and massaging his hands while giving his usual tremendously ponderous oration (you really need to read it). Olivia OLeary wrote a parliamentary sketch column on Irish politics in the late 1980s,and this is a continuation of this type of work. Like Matthew Parris in the UK,the observations tell a lot about the characters described, there is an unerring ability to find the jugular in the details. And yet... one acerbic former minister told OLeary that he always read her column first, OLeary describes how she beamed with the praise, which was followed with the sting " I always read the ephemera first". My opinion is that OLearys talents are only partially utilized by this work, indeed it is arguable that the parliamentary sketch in less skilled hands, has led to cynicism with politics, rather than exposure of foibles and humanity. OLeary spent some time in Northern Ireland in the early years of the Troubles and it is clear that many of the events there affected her deeply. A book on the issues associated with reporting life and death, with associated media manipulation is something which would stretch OLearys obvious talent.