Nothing Happens in Carmincross

by Benedict Kiely

Book Overview

A man returns to Ireland for his niece's wedding in Carmincross and is forced to confront the realities of modern Irish life

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879235853
• ISBN13: 9780879235857
• Release Date: November 1985
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher
• Length: 279 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?

Mervyn Kavanagh, an Irish historian living in the United States, returns to attend his neice's wedding in Carmincross, a village just inside the Ulster border. His neice is killed by a bomb planted by the IRA. He is separated from his American wife and takes up with an old girl friend who is separated from her nebbish husband. It's full of bitter sharp-edged satire about Irish nationalism and sectarian violence. He makes clever use of lines from Irish songs and romantic legends. He piles atrocity story on atrocity story. In the end it's more political statement than entertainment but it's wonderful writing. I understand that Kiely usually writes in a lighter vein, and shall be looking for more of his stuff.