“Declan Burke is his own genre. The Lammisters dazzles, beguiles and transcends. Virtuoso from start to finish.” – Eoin McNamee “This bourbon-smooth riot of jazz-age excess, high satire and Wodehouse flamboyance is a pitch-perfect bullseye of comic brilliance.” – Irish Independent Books of the Year 2019 “This rapid-fire novel deserves a place on any bookshelf that grants asylum to PG Wodehouse, Flann O’Brien or Kyril Bonfiglioli.” – Eoin Colfer, Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019 “The funniest book of the year.” – Sunday Independent “Declan Burke is one funny bastard. The Lammisters ... conducts a forensic analysis on the anatomy of a story.” – Liz Nugent “Burke’s exuberant prose takes centre stage … He plays with language like a jazz soloist stretching the boundaries of musical theory.” – Totally Dublin “A mega-meta smorgasbord of inventive language ... linguistic verve not just on every page but every line.Irish Times “Above all, The Lammisters gives the impression of a writer enjoying himself. And so, dear reader, should you.” – Sunday Times “A triumph of absurdity, which burlesques the literary canon from Shakespeare, Pope and Austen to Flann O’Brien … The Lammisters is very clever indeed.” – The Guardian

Friday, August 15, 2008

Lest We Forget


On the 10th anniversary of the Omagh bombing, today’s Irish Times’ editorial asks a stark question. To wit:
The revulsion that followed Omagh had within it an element of shame. Why did it take the obscenity of Omagh to create a genuine, shared sense that such vile deeds are utterly beyond the Pale? And given the effect that the reaction to Omagh had on terrorism in Ireland, what might have happened had we reacted earlier?
Excuse me? ‘We’? With due and heartfelt respect to the families of the Omagh dead, I haven’t the slightest intention of taking even one iota of responsibility for the actions of the sadly deluded killers on all sides during the 30 years of the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’. I never planted a bomb, I never wanted a bomb planted, and I never cheered when a bomb went off. Peace, out.

7 comments:

fatmammycat said...

'..what might have happened had we reacted earlier..'
Suggesting what? We were aware? In cahoots?
Horrible, clumsy wording. I was disgusted by the Omagh bombing, as I would be disgusted by any brutal taking of innocent life. I, or indeed anyone else, should not have to clarify this.

Peter Rozovsky said...

I'm not Irish, but I do work for a "news"paper, and I see that the Irish Times exhibits the same sense of arrogant self-exaltation, self-flagellation and belief it speaks for the public as its American counterparts do.
===================
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

Declan Burke said...

Yeah ... there was another handwringing liberal guilt piece on the facing page, about how 'we' in the South haven't interacted with those in the North, either before or after the Peace Process. I can only speak for myself, but I lived in Coleraine for three years in the mid-90s, played football for Northern Ireland Universities, and my brother-in-law hails from the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. And only last week I went to Newry to bulk-buy nappies and champagne. Although I draw the line at drinking Harp. Cheers, Dec

Peter Rozovsky said...

Tonight I learned from a part-time colleague that he was stationed at the U.S. Navy base in Londonderry for a year and a half during the Troubles. I asked him, among other things, if the North and the South had different drinking habits. The South, he said, drinks Guinness while the North drinks Harp. That's an interesting bit of information, and to hear it twice in one day is ... is ... something of a coincidence.

Fergie's, by way, where you are to join us in October, has signs for both, though heavier on the Guinness. (Fergie himself is from Dublin.)
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

Stuart Neville said...

As a Nordie, I can tell you Harp is pisswater. Mind you, I don't like Guinness either. It's Stella all the way.

Peter Rozovsky said...

Stella, eh? I wonder if the Flemings and the Walloons have different drinking habits in Belgium.
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

Declan Burke said...

Who cares what you drink in Belgium, it's ALL good.

When I lived in Coleraine, Buckfast - or Bucky - was quite popular with the students. It's a tonic wine brewed by monks. The locals call it 'bate-the-wife'. Cheers, Dec