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Sister Stanislaus Kennedy

Sister Stan, as she is affectionately known, was brought up on a farm in Dingle, County Kerry, one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland. It was there that she learnt to appreciate the earth, its stillness and its energy, its beauty and its bounty. 
 
In this hugely powerful and evocative book, Sister Stan looks to the earth that is so precious to our existence for inspiration throughout the year. Reflecting the garden's changing rhythms through the seasons, Gardening the Soul offers us a daily thought to keep us going as we face the challenges of modern life. 
 
All our moods are covered here... 
* in January, when there is silence in the garden, she looks at Solitude in our soul... 
* in March, with emergence in the garden, she offers Hope... 
* in August, when there is fullness and abundance everywhere, there is Blessing, and 
* in October, the time of harvest, there is Harmony 
 
Comforting and insightful, Gardening the Soul is an inspirational daybook of lessons gleaned from the wisdom of nature.

Gardening The Soul

Soothing seasonal thoughts for jaded modern souls - New Edition

Mindful Thoughts and Meditations for Every Day of the Year

Maria Boyle

________________ 
 
Meeting a baby is like meeting someone from the internet: you got used to calling them by a weird nickname and now you need to call them by their real name; they look nothing like their photo; it's hard to believe they're real until they are actually there ... 
 
The hilarious and poignant cartoons of illustrator Twisteddoodles bring a smile to the faces of parents every single day. Her drawings brilliantly capture the unique experience of motherhood and the huge range of emotions that it brings. 
 
In this warm and witty book, Maria writes candidly about what becoming a mother has meant for her. Interspersing her words with brilliant cartoons, she delivers a marvellously entertaining snapshot of life as a modern-day parent. Her sharp observations cover everything from the sleep-deprived early days of having newborn twins, to the reality of being a working mum; from just getting out of the house to slowly getting your social life back. 
 
Upbeat and humorous, this is a wonderful book for parents and parents-to-be. 
 
 
'It’s hilarious … captures the reality of motherhood and the huge range of emotions that it brings' Ireland AM 
 
'Part comic, part how-to guide and part memoir, with no end of warmth and charm … For all its companionable joviality, the book is a delicate balance of lightness, ticklish candidness and forthright honesty; something that’s sure to appeal to a readership of parents and nonparents alike' Irish Times Magazine 
 
'A very honest look at pregnancy and the early days of parenting … I think it’s wonderful' Alison Curtis, Today FM 
 
'Filled with hilarious cartoons and sharp conversations, it is an excellent snapshot of modern parenthood' Irish Country Magazine

Twisteddoodles – The Newborn Identity

John O'Donohue

In this powerful, evocative collection, master storyteller John O'Donohue explores themes of love and loss, beginnings and endings. Inspired by the ancient wisdom of the Celtic tradition and the rugged, majestic landscape of his birth, the west of Ireland, here he also creates a unique vision of a place and time, and the echo of a memory that will never fade.

Echoes of Memory

Stillness: A deep silence and quiet calm, bringing feelings of peace, solace, contentment and serenity. 
 
You may need this book if you have ever felt afraid, unsure, anxious or uncertain... 
 
You may need this book if you have ever had sleepless nights, feared the morning, faced 
difficult decisions, felt worried about the future or craved an answer to life's many mysteries... 
 
You may need this book to start to trust and accept, to forgive and let go, with love and peace. 
 
In Stillness Through My Prayer, Sister Stan shares simple, profound and calming prayers that she herself uses to help her achieve Stillness &shy;- that most elusive and treasured state of mind.

Stillness Through My Prayers

"Take time to live - it's what life is for." 
 
This is an inspiring and thought-provoking work of vision from multi-bestseller Sister Stanislaus Kennedy. A timely and prescient collection of thoughts and reflections, with one central message: we have the time, if we make the choice to take time... 
 
'Even the most convinced cynics will find something in Sister Stan's basic premise' -- Ireland on Sunday 
'Very beautifully written' -- ***** Reader review 
'A book I want to read &amp; reread in order to plumb its depths' -- ***** Reader review 
************************************************************* 
SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS ON TIME FOR EVERYBODY 
 
Now is the Time looks beyond the boundaries of any one faith or church and draws on the great spiritual and philosophical traditions of east and west. 
 
As Sister Stan focuses on a line of poetry from one of the world's great authors, an idea from a psychotherapist or philosopher, or a proverb from oriental wisdom, she weaves her own thoughts around them in a way that presents them afresh, and allows us to see them from a new perspective. 
 
 This is book for everyone battling with today's current climate: young or old, male or female, for the converted, the irreligious or plain disaffected. 
 
Reflective, contemplative and spiritual, it is the perfect tonic to our busy and relentless world...

Now is the Time

Spiritual Reflections

the phenomenal instant bestseller perfect for anyone searching for a deeper meaning to life

Colm O'Regan

Warm, charming and laugh-out-loud funny… Ann Devine, Ready For Her Close-Up is a little ray of sunshine, sure to delight' Irish Independent 
 
 
Meet Ann Devine, a riddle, wrapped up in a fleece, inside a Skoda Octavia. 
 
Now that her youngest has flown the nest, Ann finds herself at a loose end. Until, that is, she is put forward for the Kilsudgeon Tidy Towns Committee. 
 
Yet all is not neat and tidy in Kilsudgeon. There are strange sightings of people who aren't local driving 4x4s with a yellow reg, a man bun requesting kefir in the restaurant and a quad bike at a funeral. 
 
What does this have to do with rumours of a brand new television series to rival Game of Thrones? And what will it all mean for Kilsudgeon's newly proposed town park? 
 
A lot, as it happens. 
 
As the town begins to fill up with the film crew, extras and a Hollywood star who is fond of the drink, everyone welcomes the chance to make a few bob and to finally get enough broadband to send an attachment. 
 
Or nearly everyone. Harmony is threatened when the newcomers seem to be doing more damage than good and the last straw is when Ann’s pride and joy - a floral arrangement in a boat - is trashed. She’s about to discover what it means to go viral…

Ann Devine, Ready for Her Close-Up

Mark O'Sullivan

In the freezing winter of 2010, with the Irish recession in full flow, property tycoon Dermot Brennan is found dead at his Dublin home. Leading the murder investigation is fifty-six-year-old Detective Inspector Leo Woods, an embittered former UN peacekeeper with a drug habit, a penchant for collecting masks and a face disfigured by Bell’s Palsy. DI Woods meets his match in Detective Sergeant Helen Troy, a bright and ambitious but impetuous young policewoman with a troubled family. 
 
A host of suspects quickly emerge – Brennan’s estranged son; two of the dead man’s former business associates with grudges against him; a young man whose life was ruined after his house, built by Brennan, was flooded; an arrogant sculptor who may or may not have been having an affair with Anna Brennan (and with their neighbour); and an ex-pat American gardener. Together, Woods and Troy weave their way through this tangled web to get to the shocking truth. 
 
Mark O’Sullivan is an exciting new voice in literary crime fiction. Already an acclaimed children’s fiction writer, he has produced in Crocodile Tears an excellent murder mystery, which has the depth of character of Kate Atkinson combined with the plotting and ambiguous moral codes of Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse.

Crocodile Tears

Dustin the Turkey

'If this doesn't win the Man Booker Prize I'll write a follow up' - Dustin 
 
Wikibeaks is the first book from Ireland's biggest megastar, Dustin the Turkey. Destined to see Dustin's name added to the long list of Irish literary greats (Joyce, Yeats, Swift, Banville and Pippa) it will see the feathered one take his mighty pen to the Ireland he has helped shape over his 25 years as a national treasure. 
 
Wikibeaks exposes the real Ireland - and Dustin's central place in it - like no other book has done before. Featuring top secret exposés from the newly released Wikibeaks PIGs files, unreleased entries from the popular KipAdvisor website, and exclusive RTE Guide Dogs interviews with Ireland's top canine celebrities - as well as Dermot Bannon Does the Famine, Beach Yoga with Van Morrison, and much, much less. Dustin also talks about his plans for world domination, one Den presenter at a time; tells all about his notorious love life; and takes us behind the scenes at that Eurovision appearance. 
 
With a foreword from Zig and Zag, Wikibeaks will take the publishing world by storm as many of Dustin's loyal fans find themselves in bookshops for the very first time, robbing copies of a book that will in time make its way on to The Leaving Cert. 
 
Printed on paper from the very same tree from which RTE carved Pat Kenny, this won't just be the publishing event of the decade, it will be so much more, triggering Britain to stop Brexiting, as instead they see sense and offer themselves over to Ireland via a complicated tax deal with Apple and Bono. Wikibeaks will be for Irish publishing what the comments section on thejournal.ie has been for free speech.

Wikibeaks

Aidan Storey

Growing up in the suburbs of Dublin, Aidan Storey was the youngest of seven, a much-loved, happy child who enjoyed family life and all the usual rough-and-tumble games he played with friends in his garden. The only difference was, when the friends left and the garden was quiet, Aidan was visited by Angels. Unafraid of the beautiful, luminous spirits who watched over him,it wasn't until much later that Aidan realized not everyone could see what he could see - and not everyone shared what was to prove to be an exceptional gift for healing. 
 
In this extraordinary autobiography, Aidan vividly recalls how the presence of angels sustained him through years of great turmoil - years when his happy, carefree world turned into one of misery and torment. As he recalls the sexual and mental abuse he suffered at the hands of two teachers in his Christian Brothers primary school, and the desperate, dark days of depression and isolation which followed, he tells of how the Angels helped him to claw his way back to life and, through the power of angelic healing, taught him how to bring light and love into his life and the lives of many others. 
 
Profoundly moving - and with a range of questions about issues such as death, relationships, the state of the planet, and many more, all answered by the Angels - this is an inspiring story of hope and forgiveness, and a testament to the healing power of Angels that will stay with you for ever.

Angels of Divine Light

Christmas – a time for peace, joy and Mammies. 
 
 While others are focusing on Santa/Santy, the school nativity play, the office party and its wild cousin the Twelve Pubs, panicked present shopping and the delicate diplomacy of in-law visiting, the Irish Mammy is mobilized in her war-room – ready for the campaign. Electric blankets have been set to maximum power; cards have been despatched; the turkey has been ordered; the decorations have been retrieved from the Place Where The Decorations Go and the fifth Big Shop (to get breadcrumbs) has been completed. 
 
 There are homecomings from near and far, new arrivals, drama, bustle, tears and laughter, and Mammy at the heart of it all, directing operations. 
 
 There’s bound to be something she’s forgotten – but luckily, just like a certain someone, she’s made a list.

It's Earlier 'Tis Getting: The Christmas Book of Irish Mammies

Conor O'Clery

History always comes down to the details. And when it comes to the fall of the Soviet Union, the details are crucial, especially when such an era-defining event hinged on the bitter personal relationship between two powerful men, Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. 
 
On the twentieth anniversary of the end of the Cold War, Conor O'Clery has built his compelling and brilliantly constructed narrative of the fall of the Soviet Union around one day, December 25, 1991, the date Gorbachev resigned and the USSR was effectively consigned to history. From there, O'Clery looks back over the events of the previous six years: Gorbachev's reform policies of glasnost and perestroika; Yeltsin's ignominious fall and then rise to the top; the defiance of the once docile Soviet republics; the failed August coup by the hardliners; and the events that swiftly followed until a secret meeting in a central European forest sealed the fate of the communist monolith and the clock ticked down to the last day. 
 
The result is an intricately detailed, thoroughly researched book, based on interviews with many of the key figures in a drama of Shakespearean intensity as well as contemporary reportage, the memoirs and diaries of key political figures and official documents. The book is written at a breathtaking, dramatic pace, drawing the reader in as it focuses equally on the personal and historical stories. 
 
Moscow, December 25, 1991 is set to become a defining book on the fall of the Soviet Union.

Moscow, December 25, 1991

The Last Day Of The Soviet Union

Sister Stan's new book, Day By Day offers words of wisdom that will inspire and comfort you on your journey through life. Thoughtful and reflective, it draws upon some of the most enlightened figures from both the past and the present as it gently guides you through your day. 
 
Also included here are thought-provoking contributions on a range of subjects, including gratitude, belonging, friendship, courage and daring, from influential figures such as Abbott Mark Patrick Hederman, leading psychologist and founder of Headstrong, Dr Tony Bates, poet Brendan Kennelly, and producer/director Lelia Doolan – each helping Sister Stan to create an invaluable treasury for our times.

Day By Day

In her long-awaited book, Sister Stan draws upon her memories of childhood and the special moments of awareness and mystery which have nourished and enriched her life. 
 
As she offers simple reflections to help us focus on the many gifts and blessings that surround us each day, she helps us to connect to our inner world, and the deep, nurturing silence that lies within.

Moments of Stillness

Based on the traditional Book of Hours - psalms said daily, at set times, by religious communities throughout the world - Seasons of the Day reveals the enduring relevance of this ancient practice 
to contemporary living. 
 
In Seasons of the Day, Sister Stan, knowing that our modern-day understanding of time pushes us to our stressed-out limits, passes on the monastic ritual to the layperson. 
 
Here, as she slows us down, she reveals the psalms through her own words, her own prayers. Using them, she also guides us tenderly through a four-week period, from the silence and mystery of pre-dawn (matins) through to the reflective conclusion of the day (compline). 
 
In a world that can often seem hostile and unfriendly, her gentle reflections help the reader find inner peace and confidence. 
 
A prayer book for today

Seasons of the Day

Stephen Ferris

SHORTLISTED FOR RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 
 
'When I came into the Ulster team,' Stephen Ferris says with typical candour, 'we were crap'. It was, however, preferable to his day job of paving driveways, and that day in 2005 saw the start of an incredible journey for Ferris, Ulster and Ireland rugby. A Celtic League title in his very first senior season with Ulster. A Grand Slam in 2009, followed by a sensational Lions breakthrough. A starring role in Ireland's greatest World Cup win, over Australia in 2011, when Ferris famously picked up Will Genia and carried him ten yards. And leading Ulster from nowhere to the Heineken Cup final. 
 
Stephen Ferris had an incredible rugby career, tragically ended by ankle injuries so severe they will never properly heal. He is an inspiration to the population of Ulster, an emblem of the sport that serves as such a positive expression of its culture and identity, and earned the respect and admiration of fans across Ireland for his strength, pace, skill and courage. Fearless, funny and full of an incredible array of stories from behind the scenes of Ulster, Ireland and the Lions, this is the must-have rugby book of the year.

Man and Ball

My Autobiography

Peter Tyrrell

Diarmuid Whelan

I warn society against the child who has been hurt 
Peter Tyrrell 
 
A tormented childhood in Letterfrack industrial school with the Christian Brothers left an enduring mark on Peter Tyrrell. Ignored by the authorities and distressed by his memories, he later burned himself to death on Hampstead Heath in London. His story of horrific abuse is told with childlike simplicity, penned in a series of letters to Senator Owen Sheehy Skeffington. Bringing to life, with touching sincerity, a shocking reality where beatings of children as young as five were commonplace, this startling account may have gone unpublished if not for its chance discovery amongst Skeffington's papers. At last, Peter Tyrrell has been given a voice. 
 
Tyrrell never recovered from the abuse that he suffered, yet was determined that his story should be heard. His memoir makes for harrowing yet extraordinarily compelling reading. It is impossible not to be touched.

Founded on Fear

Albert Reynolds

Albert Reynolds has led an extraordinary life. Now, for the first time, Ireland's eighth Taoiseach tells his life story - from his childhood and first steps as a young businessman to his action-filled years in the political arena. 
 
In this revelatory autobiography, Albert tells how his dynamic, can-do approach allowed a boy from the village of Roosky, Co. Roscommon, to build a ballroom empire with his brother Jim, to found a multi-million-pound company and to make a profound and lasting contribution to Irish politics. 
 
Albert relives a busy political life, and the Northern Ireland peace process is thrown into dramatic relief with original contributions from other voices such as John Major, Bill Clinton, Martin McGuinness and Archbishop Eames, with eye-opening revelations about secret, behind-the-scenes meetings with key players. 
 
'Give it as it was; tell it as it is, that is me.' In his autobiography, he does just that.

Albert Reynolds: My Autobiography

Gerry Thornley

Front Up, Rise Up is the story of Connacht’s remarkable journey to becoming the 2016 Pro12 champions. The story goes inside the dressing-room, takes in their unscheduled, week-long, bonding trek to Siberia and back for a European Challenge Cup game, and all the key twists and turns along the way. 
 
It brings us the characters in this Band of Brothers, from the locals such as captain John Muldoon from Portumna to their iconic fans’ favourite Bundee Aki – who like their talismanic coach Pat Lam is a Kiwi from Auckland of Samoan descent – and their Nigerian-born and Dublin-raised match-winner Niyi Adeolokun. 
 
The story takes in the province’s troubled professional history, which had them on the brink of extinction as a professional entity in 2003 and led to Connacht and their supporters marching to the IRFU offices in a successful bid to keep them afloat. 
 
It covers their dethroning of the champions Glasgow in the Sportsground in Galway and their stunning performance in the final against Leinster in Edinburgh. In more than two decades of professional rugby, there has been no story quite like it.

Front Up, Rise Up

The Official Story of Connacht Rugby

Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, or Sister Stan as she is affectionately known, has been described as a visionary and social innovator. Now, in The Road Home she looks back on her life - from her early years growing up on the family farm in the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, to the day when, at the age of eighteen, she made the life-changing decision to become a nun. Inspired by the work of Mother Mary Aikenhead, who founded the Sisters of Charity in 1815, Stan went on to dedicate her life to the service of the poor and to fighting for a fairer, more equal society. 
 
Here, as she reflects on the many challenges she has met, both personal and political, she recalls how she was also inspired by her mentor, Bishop Peter Birch and how, under his guidance she helped to set up an innovative model of community care in Kilkenny - a model that was to become a blueprint for the rest of Ireland. 
 
Over the years Stan also developed into a formidable campaigner and worked tirelessly - sometimes against severe opposition - to establish other immensely influential human rights and social justice agencies, includingFocus Ireland, now the biggest national voluntary organisation for the homeless, Young Social Innovators, a national social justice education programme for young people, and The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), which supports the rights of migrants and their families and is a catalyst for public debate. In 2000, Stan also founded The Sanctuary - a meditation and spirituality centre in Dublin where, amidst the bustle of city life, people can experience peace, quiet, and the space to explore and develop their inner world. 
 
Inspiring and thought-provoking, this fascinating memoir provides a unique insight into the life and work of one of the most influential social activists of our day, the many political battles she has fought and won, and how, with dogged determination and courage, she has shaped the lives and the fortunes of thousands of people. Quite simply, The Road Home is the remarkable story of a remarkable woman.

The Road Home

My Journey

In The Four Elements, poet and philosopher John O'Donohue draws upon his Celtic heritage and the love of his native landscape, the west of Ireland, to weave together a tapestry of beautifully evoked images of nature. As John explores a range of themes relating to the way we live our lives today, he reveals how the energy and rhythm of the natural world - its innocence and creativity, its power and splendour - hold profound lessons for us all. 
 
With a foreword written by his beloved brother Pat, this illuminating treasury is a unique collection of reflections inspired by the ancient wisdom of this earth.

The Four Elements

Reflections on Nature

Cora Staunton

Cora Staunton is an iconic figure in the world of modern GAA. In this ground-breaking autobiography, she reveals her extraordinary journey from teenage rookie to the highest-scoring forward in the history of Ladies Gaelic Football. Since making her senior inter-county debut for Mayo at just thirteen years of age, Cora has become a feared and respected opponent on any pitch. 
 
Now, for the first time, she recounts the triumphs of her career and the personal struggles that have plagued it. In this refreshingly candid book, Cora recalls finding refuge in the game after the death of her mother, but also speaks openly about the challenges and conflicts she and her teammates have experienced in the under-resourced world of female sport. She gives a fascinating insight into her move to a professional team in Sydney and how she coped with going from a veteran to a newcomer overnight. 
 
In the first-ever autobiography of a female GAA star, Game Changer will take its place as one of the most influential and powerful sports books in recent years.

Game Changer

Donncha O'Callaghan

Donncha O'Callaghan is one of Ireland's leading international rugby players, and a stalwart of the Munster side. He was a key figure in the Irish team which won the IRB 6 Nations Grand Slam in 2009, and has won two Heineken Cup medals and two Magners League titles with Munster. 
 
But that success did not come easy. For such a well known player with a larger-than-life reputation, his long battle to make a breakthrough at the highest level is largely unknown. In this honest and revealing autobiography, Donncha talks in detail about the personal setbacks and disappointments at Munster and the unconventional ways he dealt with the frustration of not making the team for four of five years in his early 20s. 
 
He had a parallel experience with Ireland where it took him nearly six years to get from fringe squad member to established first choice player. Here he talks candidly about how he brought discipline to his game, and about his relationships with the coaches who had overlooked him and the second row rivals who had kept him on the bench. 
 
Donncha talks also with great warmth about a hectic childhood that was shaped by the death of his father when he was only six years old. One of the heroes of his story is his mother Marie who showed incredible strength and resourcefulness to rear a family of five on her own. 
 
Often deservedly regarded as 'the joker in the pack', what is often less well known is the serious attitude and intensely professional approach Donncha brings to his rugby. Joking Apart gives the full picture, showing sides of the man that will be unfamiliar to followers of Irish rugby and will surprise the reader.

Joking Apart

Mary Black

For the last thirty years, singer Mary Black has been a dominant presence on the Irish music scene, an award-winning artist with many bestselling albums to her name. Now, in this long-awaited memoir, Mary takes us back to the roots of her musical heritage and to the influences that helped to shape her as an artist and a woman. 
 Born into a musical family, Mary Black – a feisty tomboy who could hold her own when it came to sparring with her brothers and anyone else brave enough to take her on – began singing folk songs from the age of ten. Music played an important role in the family home and, performing with her brothers and her sister Frances, Mary built her highly successful career on the bedrock of these early years. 
 From the pubs and clubs of her hometown, Dublin, she went on to perform in some of the most prestigious venues across the world. Always committed to exploring new material from the best writers, her unique talent attracted acclaim from critics, fellow artists and the public alike. It also led to a host of bestselling albums, including the multi-platinum No Frontiers, which spent more than a year in the Irish Top 30. 
 Mary’s love of singing was matched only by the love she had for her family. As she recalls the inevitable tensions that arose when trying to juggle family life and a high-profile career, she tells of her struggle to combine the two contrasting aspects of her life. It was only through gritty determination, hard work and a fair amount of laughter that Mary was able to enjoy major success as an artist and, at the same time, raise a close and loving family with her husband Joe. 
 Refreshingly honest, and written with warmth and humour, Down the Crooked Road offers a unique insight into the life and career of one of our most gifted singers – an artist who, during the course of her long career, has captured the hearts of millions around the world.

Down the Crooked Road

Eamon Dillon

Irish Travellers have never enjoyed a higher profile, at home and abroad, for good reasons and bad. On the one hand are the positive stories like the success of boxers such as John Joe Nevin and Tyson Fury, the popularity of Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Paddy Doherty’s victory on Celebrity Big Brother. On the other are controversial news stories such as the Dale Farm stand-off and the recent convictions for slavery. 
 
Gypsy Empire delves into the heart of Traveller life, focusing on three aspects that have coloured perceptions of Travellers among the wider community: family feuds, bare-knuckle fights and trading. Many Irish Travellers are driven by the need to prove their status among their own, a powerful instinct epitomised by those who engage in brutal bare-knuckle fights. These bouts are fuelled by family feuds which sometimes erupt in vicious acts of violence. We meet many colourful characters, among them some of the world’s most prolific and gifted criminals, their self-reliance providing an edge over other crime gangs. 
 
This is a golden era for the Traveller clans which are expanding and growing like never before. Gypsy Empire takes the reader inside the hidden world of Irish Travellers.

Gypsy Empire

Ronan O'Gara

Ronan O'Gara has been at the heart of Munster and Irish rugby for the past fifteen years. Now, as he comes to the end of a glittering playing career, it is time for him to reflect on those many successes and occasional failures with the straight-talking attitude that has become his trademark. Never one to shy away from the truth, the result is Ronan O'Gara: Unguarded. 
 
Packed full of anecdotes and analysis of the teammates O'Gara has been proud to share the shirt with, and of the coaches he has played under - often in controversial circumstances - this is the definitive record of an era when Munster rose to triumph in Europe, and Ireland to win the Grand Slam, before crashing down to earth again. It is simply the must-have rugby book of the year.

Ronan O'Gara: Unguarded

Nicolas Roche

Nicolas Roche has a famous surname to all fans of cycling. The son of legendary Irish and World Champion Stephen Roche, Nicolas had to fight to make it as a professional and even harder to make his mark as his own man in this toughest of competitive sports. 
 
His rise up the ranks has been meteoric, with top 15 finishes in both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, but his attitude to his chosen profession has remained undimmed. Honest, eloquent and passionate about the cycling world, Nicolas gained acclaim and a devoted fan following for his Tour diaries serialised in the Irish Independent. 
 
Now a major contender for a podium finish in a grand tour, in the award-winning Inside the Peloton Nicolas tells in full the story of life as a professional cyclist and of the remarkable events that have brought him this far. From furious spats with teammates and exhilarating races against the world's best, this is a gripping cycling adventure and tale of a fiercely competitive sportsman.

Inside The Peloton

My Life as a Professional Cyclist

Keith Duggan

Surfing in Ireland was once considered little more than a fringe and slightly lunatic pursuit. The treacherous coastline and ice waters of the Atlantic did not sit comfortably with the stereotype of surfing as the favoured pastime of the bronzed and privileged. But with the discovery in the past few years of the gargantuan Aileen’s wave at the Cliffs of Moher and other heavy waves, the Irish coast has become one of the worst kept secrets in world surfing. 
 
In Cliffs of Insanity, the Irish Times sportswriter Keith Duggan tells the story of a dedicated group of surfers in County Clare whose lives revolve around the pursuit of Ireland’s wildest waves. The book traces the evolution of Fergal Smith, the young Mayo man whose intuition for big waves has earned him a serious reputation and explores the world of Mickey Smith, the roving Cornish man who discovered Aileen’s and whose breathtaking surf photography has caught the Irish landscape in an entirely new and original light. 
 
Bitter cold days, broken bones, busted boards, scars, near drownings and countless hours in the freezing water trying to read the ocean is the price they pay for those few transcendent seconds when they master a wave. 
 
Cliffs of Insanity is about the importance of pursuing what matters in life but it is also about community and friendship, and the passionate pursuit of a way of life that flies in the face of everything championed in Ireland over the last decade.

Cliffs Of Insanity

A Winter On Ireland’s Big Waves

Laura de Barra

'(Gaff Goddess) should be taught in schools. It's genuinely, hands-on empowering! After four paragraphs I am fully convinced I could build my own house and go on Grand Designs!' - Marian Keyes 
 
Laura de Barra is quite simply a Gaff Goddess. Expanding on her popular online home hacks, Laura will teach you how to handle the problems we all encounter in our homes. 
 
Straight-talking and hilarious and packed with Laura’s stunning illustrations, her step-by-step guides will prepare you to handle the most common household emergencies with style. From dripping taps to hanging a frame, how best to look after your white goods, how to treat moths, mould and everything in between, and with invaluable design ideas to improve the living spaces in your home, this book is for everyone who has ever wanted to tackle a bit of She-IY without really knowing how. 
 
Ingenious and sure to be an instant household must-have, Gaff Goddess will empower you to make those repairs and rediscover your space saving you time, money and stress in the process.

Gaff Goddess

Simple Tips and Tricks to Help You Run Your Home

Ronan O'Gara is one of the greatest sportsmen Ireland has ever produced. A brilliant kicker both from the hand and at penalty goals, a sublime orchestrator of play from the out-half position he has made his own, and a cool head in the pressure-cooker of club and international rugby, the list of the Cork man's achievements goes on and on. The leading points scorer in Irish rugby history, the Six Nations and the Heineken Cup. The architect of two amazing Munster triumphs in Europe. The man whose last minute drop-goal sensationally won the Grand Slam in 2009, Ireland's first for 61 years. 
 
In his candid, illuminating autobiography, O'Gara tells the story of those many on-field successes and, with brutal honesty, the darker days as well, most notably at the 2007 World Cup. He tells the inside story of Ireland's disappointments in France, and responds to the allegations about his personal life that made front-page news that autumn. Ronan O'Gara: My Autobiography is the unforgettable story of a rugby player at the top of his game, of a life lived to the full, and of a passionate and proud representative of the people of Cork and Ireland.

'This is a sacred treasury, a spiritual notebook which is very special to me, and which has touched and inspired me at different times over the years.' 
 
In To Live from the Heart: Mindful Paths to the Sacred, Sister Stan reveals how prayer can play an important part in all our lives, lifting our spirits and offering us hope and support in good times and bad. 
 
This comforting treasury of mindful meditations, prayers, proverbs and essays has helped to sustain Sister Stan through the years. In sharing them with us, she hopes they will nourish our souls, bring us peace on our journey through life, and inspire us to live from the heart.

To Live From The Heart

Mindful Paths To The Sacred

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About us

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There's An Alien in You Book by Tom Fletcher

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There’s an Alien in Your Book by Tom Fletcher

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32 spooky books to read this Halloween

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The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher

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Where to start with Tom Fletcher’s books

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14 books that will make under 5s giggle

Space Band by Tom Fletcher

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The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch by Tom Fletcher

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85 books to read before you're 12

Christmas gifts for 2025: Books for under 5s

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24 must-read books for under 5s

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24 must-read books for 9-12-year-olds

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