An Irish Christmas: Stories

Irish Christmas Stories #1?

by John Brendan Keane

Drawing on the rich folk culture of Ireland, John B. Keane’s collection of seventeen original tales humorously presents the holiday dreams and everyday shortcomings of ordinary country people during the Christmas season. Not only do Keane’s stories delightfully, and often sardonically, explore the foibles of Irish humanity, they also discover the intelligences behind them with shrewdness and compassion. Throughout this winning collection, whether visiting “The Greatest Wake of All” or illuminating “The Seven Year Trance” or telling the tales of “The Hermit of Scartnabrock” and “Awlingal Princess of Cunnackeenamadra,” Ireland's favorite storyteller bears benevolent testimony to the inhabitants and Christmas traditions of his colorful County Kerry. “Creates a charming emotional map of a fictitious but authentic-seeming place.”—Boston Globe “A sage, sardonic voice.... Handle[s] sentiment in a way that respects both the story and the audience.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “.... if a body likes Irish humor and tales, this ... will be a fine bit to place under the tree.”—Publishers Weekly

Genres: Christmas, Short Stories, Collections, Adult, Irish Literature, Ireland

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Denise Spicer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 1999 book contains 17 stories set in an Irish country village. (probably mid- 20th-century). All are set at or around Christmastime but don’t really have a very strong feel of the season. With only mildly interesting characters (Canon Coodle, the priest, Mrs. Hanlon, his housekeeper, Matt Coumer, the doctor, Sam Toper, a drunk, Mental Nossery, a poet and his wife the barmaid, Blossom O’Moone) the author gives us some disjointed, disorganized, “slice of life” stories featuring mostly a bunch of people drinking. A few mildly amusing scenes including the final story “A Christmas Surprise”.

[Pat Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me forever to read as I kept putting it on pause to read others.
Each chapter is quite silly and yet still tells a great story.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

(notes on Keane from Wikipedia) -> 21 July 1928 – 30 May 2002 - Keane was an Irish playwright, novelist and essayist from Listowel, County Kerry. He worked as a chemist's assistant for A. H. Jones who dabbled in buying antiques. Keane had various jobs in the UK between 1951 and 1955 working as a street cleaner, and a bar man, living in a variety of places including Northampton and London. It was while he was in Northampton that Keane was first published in an unnamed women's magazine for which he received £15. He became a pub owner in Listowel from 1955. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Royal Dublin Society from 1991, served as president of Irish PEN and was a founder member of the Society of Irish Playwrights as well as a member of Aosdána. Keane was named the patron of the Listowel Players after the Listowel Drama Group fractured. He remained a prominent member of the Fine Gael party throughout his life, never being shy of political debate.

A collection of seventeen tales from Ireland writer John B. Keane.
Canon Doyle - the local priest - who drinks to much and gets "involved" in funny situations.....
Hiccup - married to Delia - was "gone" for 7 years and he came back with a story..... Delia's 3 brothers do not like Hiccup and make him promise to continue to tell stories, in exchange they will leave him alone.... but Hiccup has money and the 3 brothers think they will someday inherit this money.... then Hiccup and Delia talk about adopting and the 3 brothers see their inheritance evaporating... but their plan to do away with Hiccup is gone when Hiccup tells a story & his friends from the local theater help to make the story real & in the process scare the brothers - who never bother Hiccup again and become devoted uncles to their 2 nephews!
Last story - Masterman meets a beautiful woman in a hotel bar. He thinks she is taking him to her room for the night - but she then tells him to put on the "santa suit" as they are going to her sisters (the woman and her 3 young children are living with the sister...)

[Linda K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do all Irish stories have to include lots of hoisting of drinks and curates who, if not drinkers themselves, implore those who are to curtail their overindulgence?

I'm not sure of the answer, but in this book, lots of both occurs and all set either at or near the Christmas holiday. Although I did enjoy the writing style, it did not fill the bill for wanting a nice comforting book of Christmassy short stories.

You certainly have to hand it to the Irish though. Most surely do know how to tip a few pints and also to tell you just exactly how they feel on a subject.

A couple of these tales were fun and bittersweet. Several were strange and some were downright sad.
Words to make you think. One of the points of reading, be ye Irish or not.

[Jordan Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories set in the same Irish community over a span of years. Each short story focuses on different members of the community. This was a fun approach. P.S. If you weren't sure before you read this book, after you read it you will be convinced that the Irish really like alcohol and their Catholicism.

[Brian Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, light-hearted collection of tales from the "old sod".

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short stories that involve a bit of toasting of beverages. Written with a lilting Irish voice.