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Angela's Ashes: 'Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood', so writes Frank McCourt in his Pulitzer Prize winning novel. This is a story of extreme poverty and hardship that is not for the faint hearted. Indeed it sometimes traverses the line between entertainment and enlightenment. This is a story of the fight against poverty. The McCourt family moved back from America where they had gone to make a life and returned to Limerick city at a time when Ireland had little to offer them. When disease, hunger and malnutrition takes his brothers and sisters from him, young Frankie and his brother Malachy grow up little realising that life has more to offer than old potatoes and bolied pigs head for Christmas dinner. The family were crammed into a tenement slum. The upstairs room was 'Italy', warm and dry. Downstairs was Ireland, wet and cold. The rats, the death, the shared latrine and the smell of poverty and neglect pervade evey paragraph of this powerful book. If young Frank is the hero of the story then it is difficult to regard his father as an anti-hero. His drunkeness and eventual abandonment of his family are upsetting and yet we still cannot quite condemn him. Frankies mother, Angela, is regarded with little emotion by the author and the description of her struggle and humiliation are only very occasionally tinged with anything approaching pity. This typical tale of an Irish childhood is now the subject of a major motion picture directed by Alan Parker with Robert Carlyle and Emily Lloyd in the lead roles. For details of a discounted price to get this book from Amazon click here. Angela's Ashes - An article provided by The Information about Ireland Site. USAGE: THIS ARTICLE MAY BE REPRODUCED ON YOUR WEB SITE OR IN YOUR EZINE OR NEWSLETTER ONCE THE FOLLOWING COPYRIGHT AND 'LINK' TO THE INFORMATION ABOUT IRELAND SITE ARE INCLUDED AND LEFT INTACT. (C) Copyright https://www.ireland-information.com

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YOUR OPINION OF ANGELA'S ASHES! The following email messages are the opinions of subscribers to our free newsletter. They were prompted as a response to Brian Kellys article, shown first below, which was published in the July 2001 Newsletter. THE PROBLEM WITH 'ANGELA'S ASHES' by Brian Kelly My name is Brian Kelly. I was born and raised in Long Island (NY), but have moved many times since, now living in Georgia. I am second generation American, my grandparents coming from Galway and Limerick. I try to constantly uncover more information about my grandparents lives in Ireland, their individual treks to the US, and their lives here in America. With it, comes the collateral and related information of their 'population' as a whole...... I am filled with clear and stirring memories of countless days, nights and weekends spent at their home..... the great stories of family, relatives and friends experiences as they settled and grew into their new home, America. The voices of their friends, their neighbors ... and yet more relatives... the great love and respect they showed for each other... their love and undefeatable faith in God... their incredible work ethic... and yes, the oft times presence of 'drink' during the visits.... no one got drunk, no one got sick, no one got loud or abusive, no one drank to any excess or embarrassed themselves or their family. A 'beer and a ball' was not an unusual thing to see. That being said, it didn't define the get-togethers, the alcohol wasn't the strong underlying theme, the environment wasn't one of disorder or disrespect... the stories got thicker as the night grew on, as did their brogues... but also as did their freely demonstrated emotions... their love for their homeland, and clearly their love for their new home, America. I've never been one to wear my feelings on my sleeve, to force my opinions on others, or to boast arrogantly of my Irish heritage (of which I am filled and deeply moved with pride). I say this in an effort to cut short any such reaction to what I am about to comment upon. My issue is with the book Angela's Ashes. In short, my concern is for the vast and overwhelming number of people who I hear talk about this book, how absolutely wonderful it was, how the Irish have such a way with language and emotion, and how the author tells such a touching story about the Irish. My God! That book is as much a book about 'The Irish' as those cheap green plastic hats and dyed beer on Saint Patrick's day! In fact, it does at least as much benefit (harm) to educating those seeking knowledge, and those interested in their heritage and the core essence of who they are and who their ancestors were..... as those hats and green beer! Angela's Ashes is not a story of Ireland, the Irish people, the Irish American experience, or even of Limerick! It is the story of an extremely dysfunctional family, a particularly irresponsible and drunkard of a man who happened to be Irish, and the sorrowful impact such a poor excuse of an Irishman had upon his family and their trek in life! Is 'drink' a mainstay of the Irish? Yes, but it does not define us! My grandparents came to the US from Ireland in the early 20th century. They came with thousands upon thousands of others. It was the incredible faith in God, faith in mankind, individual morality, character, leadership, dedication, determination, ingenuity, love and ethics (among countless other virtues and characteristics that are too many to mention) that marks the greatness of the Irish people, of the Irish-American experience, of the Irish contribution to the USA... It is THOSE qualities that define the Irish! I have never written a book, though I do confess to enjoy the written word... That being said, I am so aggravated, so offended, by the perception that is afforded by 'Angela's Ashes' that I am motivated and on the very edge of writing a book of my own.... one that will have the reader laughing, even singing... thinking back to their own relatives... and yes, finding themselves in tears as well. THAT, is the reality of who the Irish were and are... and who the Irish Americans were and are. Brian Kelly From: Martha O'Brien I think angela's ashes is a poorly written book. He does not apear to be a well educated man in spite of his degrees. McCourt bitches and moans like a moody adolescent. Of course, most alcoholics never grow beyond adolescence. He certainly doesn't represent the Irishmen and Irishwomen I know who came over to America to work. They worked a few jobs at a time, got married and sent most of their children to college. Look at American business. The people associated with Wall St. are 45% Irish. Many, many of our ceo's are Irish. It is my opinion that McCourt was a lazy old sloth who just got lucky at a time when anything Irish was hot. The Editor: I emigrated thirty five years ago to Canada as a child with my family from Dublin and over the last decade have become an avid reader of Irish literature, fiction and non-fiction. When Frank McCourt's book "Angela's Ashes" became available, based on reviews in magazines, newspapers and radio, I decided to purchase the book. It was understood that the book was the story of Mr. McCourt's life, yet it left me with a feeling of anger that Irish people in general were considered nothing more than an uneducated people, unwilling to work and alcoholics. This seems to be the image portrayed in the majority of fiction coming out of Ireland. The book was well written; the subject is one that existed in many areas of Ireland at that time, but it gave the impression to the reader that those who had little or nothing, had no compunction to help themselves. On the heels of that book, came Malachy McCourt's book: "A Monk Swimming" which just compounded the above view and left those I spoke to, with an impression that drinking yourself into a stupor was the Irish past time. I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Kelly and have often wondered why there has never been such "criticism" of either book. I recall, eagerly, taking my family to see "Angela's Ashes" and felt so embarrassed that this was Irish life portrayed in general. To think that Dawn Hayden believes that those portrayed in "The Snapper" is a definition of what Dubliners are like, is appalling. I have also read the trilogy. As in every country, there is poverty, unemployment and a lack of education, but to categorize all Dubliners in that bracket, Ms. Hayden has perhaps never been to Dublin, or, not met those outside of that milieu. I would suggest that she take the time to research writers of fiction, non-fiction, poets, biographers who did not come from such "lower classes" as she has implied. This is not to say we as a reading public should not be aware of the lives of those less fortunate. I would be very surprised to hear that Mr. Kelly and I are the only two people who are of the same opinion with regard to Mr. McCourt's book. Roddy Doyle's: "The Commitments", "The Van", "The Snapper", "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha"; Brendan O'Carroll's trilogy, all are similar to a degree in their description of the poor, working class. Ms. Hayden, I think, has a very biased opinion of Dubliners and it would be interesting to learn whether she has spent any time living there or as a visitor. 'Angela's Ashes' is definitely not what I would classify: "a historical example of outstanding literature". I would be more than willing to recommend some examples of outstanding literature. Sincerely, Christel O'Byrne Dear Michael Regarding the letter from America and Angela's Ashes. I agree with the writer and say it is not the general reflection of how Irish Families run. The overtone in the book, or should I say the "Genre" or style of writing is one of Tragedy. This stlye of writing is now changing and the Irish have become a people of hope, and the Genre is now one of hope. We have had enough tradegy to last us all an infinity, but we want to move on and away from it to being a new people, not the people of the past, but the Nation of tomorrows and the future. Best wishes William A. Thomas www.newcityforthewest.com I wish to agree with your writer regarding Frank McCourts "Angelas Ashes". My mother came from a travelling family in Limerick and Cork and Kerry. They were very poor and it was only when their second child was born that they attained a house, having travelled all their lives. They usually did chores for food or money but had very little. Thank God we are now in our own house in England and all our travelling family have now amounted to something. When my mother read this book she said it was "a pile of sh...". They were poor but had so much love and as she says "always had something for tea, even if it was bread and butter". I listen to her stories and am so proud of my irish roots. I have listened to so many stories over the years. They were poor, very poor, but my grandfather would work anywehere often travelling with the horse and cart into Kerry or wherever to find work for a few days. My grandmother would do laundry or anything else to put a meal on the table. My mother and her brothers and sisters tell us many happy tales of their childhood, they were loved and truly happy. This story of Frank McCourts is an exceptional one. He obviously had a father who drank all their money and ruined their lives. But why is it always raining? The stories I hear are of children and teenagers playing in the fields, pinching apples and courting in the picture houses. Sounds idyllic to me. I think Frank McCourt tells one story of his life in Ireland, but to many it was a happy and wonderful life. I know you are looking for someone to agree with him but I have to disagree. All the Irish I know (and most of them were very poor) will always be so proud of their heritage!!! Kathleen Shannon Mr. Green I would like to attempt an answer to Mr. Brian Kelly's dismissal of Angela's Ashes as a literary contribution . Here goes: Mr. Kelly. I grew up in an American home as a member of second generation descendants of a working class Irish family. Although my father never beat his children, he and my mother's rows were notorious in our neighborhood.She was a tiny woman who barely stood five feet tall and he was a hulk of a man who stood at six feet and weighed over 250 pounds. When my Ma couldn't ward off Da's drunken temper physically, she would always dissuade him by appealing to his undying sentiment. The source of this sentiment was the feelings forged in the heart of every Irish son for any mother, be it his own or that of his children. My father died at the tender age of forty six. The drink killed him. His years of carousing and the long illness that followed left us in abject poverty. My mother, much like Angela, did anything to keep her three girls fed and sheltered. She was too proud to rely on government assistance or even help from her family. She worked countless hours in a yogurt factory that almost killed her. She spoke with her three daughters nightly about the importance of an education. She taught us that an education was the only way out of the misery that had befallen her. I don't have enough space to chronicle the hope of their early marriage and the love that she and my father had that resulted in the fine families that my sisters and I are now raising. I will concede that the Alcoholism in Frank McCourt's novel is a stereotype that the Irish have long fought to abolish, but the claim that there are so many more "functional" families can also be dangerous. It forces those of us who have fought that war through education and tolerance into hiding again. I reveled in the sincerity and the humor in which McCourt weaved throughout his tale. Today I teach literature in a poor inner-city school that is populated by a majority of new immigrants. The value of an education that was instilled at a very young age and my mother's strength in the face of adversity is what leds to my career decision. Mr. McCourt's work is not classic literature as many of us would recognize , but his theme is one that transcends race, creed, sex and even "functionalism". It is the idea that the human spirit can transcend all barriers.This is a classic theme. I am sorry that you were offended by the dysfunctional that was depicted in the novel. I am grateful that an Irish son did not have to endure this.However, some of my experiences reflect an addiction that can occur when dreams are dashed and frustration sets in . My mother also taught us that alcoholism is an illness that with support, education and tolerance can be combated. I wouldn't trade one day of my experiences for the intolerance that your letter exhibited. Peace Tara Murphy-Flores I would like to agree with the commentary on Angela's Ashes by Brain Kelly. I found it to be a very interesting story but would hope it is not representative of Irish civilization. Frank McCourt's next book Tis showed him to be whining about all the things in life that didn't turn out as he wished they would. I have recently read 'Are You Somebody' by Nuala O'Faolain and again this paints a very poor picture of Irish civilization. Again a very dysfunctional family. Wonder if there are families in Ireland that are functional embracing the nature of what a family is supposed to be. I guess that is my bias that a family should be supportive and encouraging. Gretchen Condon I agree with Mr. Kelly. I thought the book was an insult to the Irish people and Frank McCourt must have needed money very badly to get it by writing such a bunch of trash. Pat McDonald As an Irish-Canadian , I appreciate Brian Kelly's defence of the Irish. Indeed they are hard-working, have made a great contribution to the New World and Ireland is a great place to visit. However, I do pay tribute to Frank McCourt who writes about a dysfunctional family of which he was a part. These families still exist today but I think that improved social services do their bit by providing daycare, financial help etc.etc. Brian Kelly has only to look at some of the novels which came out of the Depression in the United States and Canada and those awful years of the drought to realise what families faced. I could recomend Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath or Gabrielle Roy's The Tin Flute. The first novel is about the forced emigration of the Okies to California and their suffering. Gabrielle Roy depicts the fate of a French-Candian family in the early 1940's. They move in the spring after having paid no rent, the father is often out of work and the mother supports the family by doing cleaning. Remember the Thirties was a tough time for many people. I pay tribute to Frank McCourt for telling his own truth. His story is not an essentially Irish experience and the appeal of the novel lies in that it is a universal experience for all disadvantaged children every where and something for which we must feel pity. The charm of the novel is that he tells it like it is and in no way, is judgmental of his parents. My problem with the novel is that his mother did not receive more family support. Usually, the Irish see themselves as an extended family, always willing to lend a helping hand to any relative in need. I think that there was a problem there in that this daughter had married a Protestant from the North. The shining light in Angela's Ashes is that Frank McCourt tells it through the voice of a child who wastes no time in being bitter towards his parents. He must have a message for all disadvantaged children. If he survived, perhaps they can too. I believe that his pupils said to him 'Write, because you have such a rich childhood' In spite of everything, he must have found love in that home. Libby Birch Did Frank McCourt set his hand on a bible and swear this was an account of ireleand? i think not. i think he told his story. thats what writers do. that was his life. thats where he was, thats who his people were. i have irish ancestory, thus i am interested in the culture. i grew up in detroit michigan amoungst many many catholics. most of my kin either had many children or were in the life (nuns and priests and brothers). i write. sometimes i tell about my family. i do not assume i telling the real tale of detroit. i am not assuming i tell the tale all catholics can tell. i am just writing my story, as i percieved it. as my female, third in the family of nine saw it.. my view.. just mine. that is what frank mcourt did. he told his story. most of the world enjoyed it enough to make it a best seller. wala! he told his story. Jeannie Michael... I TOTALLY agree with Brian Kelly on his views on "Angela's Ashes" He wrote exactly what most of us (Irish born especially) felt. I found the book slightly amusing, only because of the sayings we heard growing up in Ireland, but for the most part it was a very poor portrayal of the Irish people...not to mention his writing about his Mother giving sex for favours...Mc Court didn't need to tell those details, however true they may be...it was in very poor taste to demean his mother that way... May she Rest in Peace, the poor mis-fortune. I don't know if Brian Kelly receives my views from you or not...regardless, what he wrote was very well worded, and if you do contact him, Please tell him that he Should write his own book. He is what a true Irishman is all about. Thanks! Máire Thanks for the wonderful newsletter. I have the blessing of being born in N.Y.C., U.S.A. of Irish immigrant parents (Co. Mayo 1923 and 1934); that to me is a double privilege. America gives its citizens and immigrants wonderful opportunities and rights. Ireland gives its people wonderful traits such as: Determination to be an asset to this world, Faith in God's Word, and Thankfulness for the gift of life. My first trip to Ireland last year, confirmed the beauty of the people and the land that I had envisioned during my life at home with my Irish-born parents. I believe that my Irish Catholic heritage prepared me for the challenges that I have faced in this world, and encourages me to smile and look forward to the rest of my days. I have to also agree with Brian Kelly's article questioning the negative image that "Angela's Ashes" has portrayed both in book and film. Surely, like my parents and other Irish immigrants who spoke of the positive side of being Irish, Mr. McCourt could have dwelled on the finer features. I was under the impression that the only reason for my parents' immigration was economic issues. I wish they were alive today to return to the land of their birth for at least a visit to see the changes. I pray for peace amongst all peoples of the world. Love and Blessings, Mary (McHale) Farmer Angela's Ashes is a beautiful and touching tale, fortunately well-laced with humor, which incidently includes an Irish town and some of its people. It was not a travelogue trying to depict all aspects of the city or of depression-era Ireland. If Brian Kelly wishes to pretend that merry, rollicking Ireland never had any poverty and misery, then let him continue to hide behind his lace curtains and fantasize. But he is wrong in trying to fit the rest of the world with the blinders which he fancies so well. He should ask himself if he would have reacted the same way if the story had been sited in Moscow or Zimbabwe. JACK NELSON I couldn't have said it better myself. That the story told in 'Angela's Ashes' is believed by many to be definitively illustrative of what life in Ireland was like, is sickening. I'm constantly re-educating people who, after reading the book, think that's how my mom and dad lived as they grew up. It MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT representative. Just one 'dysfunctional' family's story, as the opinion writer so aptly put it. Sile Fahey Chicago area Dear Michael, I have to agree with Brian Kelly, Angela's Ashes is a load of bull. I was born in ireland as was my father and grandmother and various other relatives have never seen any of the hardships they talk about..and frank mc court complaining about being a catholic,well i am a catholic.. i lived in ireland and also northern ireland,i went to school in the u.s also in northern ireland,and never have i seen the things frank mc court talks about.i believe mr. kelly said it best-they were from a family of drunks..no one in my family drinks,never had never will. our family was never raised to be bitter,so much in fact that some of us went to catholic schools and some of us went to protestant schools, whichever had the better education.. as a matter of fact my two brothers were among the first catholic boys to go to a protestant school.. i know a lot of people who have read the book angelas ashes and say it gives irish people a bad name,i have to agree with that. i seen they had a video out about it,frankley i would not waste my time. frank mc court needs a shrink to tell all his childhood problems to.writing that book just depresses everyone,and besides talking to a shrink is cheaper... thanks for listening...ELAINE JOHNSTON.. I agree with Mr. Kelly. It left me depressed after I read it. The author made it sound like all the Irish who came over here were dysfunctional. He may have been trying to portrait what he thought was the truth about all of our families, but it is simply not so. My grandparents had their faults as all of us do, but they made sure that the generations to come would be a "compliment" for what they had struggled so hard for by coming to the United States. We had our differences, but we also had our parties and baseball was the sport the new immigrants loved. Pat Sullivan In defence of 'Angela's Ashes' by Brigitte Barbero Mr Kelly, have you ever researched Irish history? The poverty that predominated the country for so long, where and how people lived, what the living conditions were for many of the people at that time in history. A lot of them had to eke out a living, barely getting by on what little work there was, if there was such. Others were not even that lucky. Many of these people could do nothing but drown their sorrows in what cheap drink they could get their hands on. Of course alcoholism did not define Ireland. But that is also not what the book was all about. The book is the `real life story` of an Irish man and he knew how to tell it, as the sales numbers of the book prove. Not everyone can live in a nice safe cocoon and just sigh about how beautiful the world is. A lot of us grew up in poverty as well, and we can relate to Angela's story. Have you ever set foot outside your save haven in the USA? You were very obviously born and raised in the USA. How can you make such an observation from the safety of your rocking chair in Georgia? You have obviously never seen or heard of the ugly poverty that was predominant in the Ireland of the time. Ever heard of the potato famine? There was a lot more going on besides family gatherings and happy lives. I do remember happy family gatherings as well, but behind every funny story or anecdote there was always a sadder, greyer truth. Not every family was as lucky as yours seemingly was. I guess the Ireland that you seem to envision is something out of a fairy tale. And no matter how horrible McCourt's life was (my mother wept when she read it), he told it with a grace and deep love for the land that many people, and you are the best example, will never be able to understand or achieve. Wake up and smell the Irish Coffee:There is a world outside of the United States, and it is an entirely different one. Brigitte Barbero First allow me to say how much I do enjoy the newsletter. Next, I agree, at least partially, with Brian Kelly's opinion of Angela's Ashes. It is more a view into a particular family than it is a rendering of an entire culture. Further, it does reinforce the caricature of the 'drunken' Irish. I found it very dark despite my own extremely poor and very difficult childhood. Those who watched the movie with me made statements such as "what a pitiful place Ireland is" and "they'd never go there" until I reminded them that the entire world was poor at that time, even America, so the poverty was not unique to Ireland. Nor was the alchoholism. While I don't think that we should never learn of Ireland's unpleasant side I personnally prefer happier fare - there's enough unpleasantness in real life. Now, do I consider the book good literature? Asolutely! It is well written, absorbing, accurate, historical and Frank McCourt has revealed yet another caricature in his writing - the endearing and ever present Irish sense of humor. You asked for opinions and this is mine. Leila Mayberry In response to Brian Kelly's opinion on Angela's Ashes. By Leo Lawyer Brian, although your opinion points out all together the negative points and stereotypes of Mr. McCourt's novel, I have a difficult time agreeing with your position. If the book did not demonstrate the awful lives of Irish people, how can we account for the millions that fought to come to the United States and elsewhere. Regardless of the current economic times Ireland is now basking in, the country has previously been a land of economic depression and poverty. Mr. McCourt's novel demonstrates the effects of such a downtrodden part of Ireland's past. The alcoholic father was a victim, the mother was a victim, McCourt's deceased siblings were victims. You can not survive in any society without basic exposure to a nurturing education for children, and a competitive economy for adults. Brian, don't forget that 'Angela's Ashes' was set in Ireland, and not the United States. You can't site personal antecdotes about American Irish and compare them to Irish-born Irish citizens. McCourt was not trying to portray American Irish at all. He drew a picture of what it was like to be an Irishman of the times, and I think he completed the task wonderfully. In my own opinion about the novel and its popularity, I believe it gave Irish Americans a glimpse of their past they so desperately need. As much economic and social success we Irish Americans have experienced in the United States and abroad, we have lost a great deal. We have lost our sense of personal identity as individuals and a culture. We have lost the ability to communicate with others around us that are similar in ethnic backgrounds. The real only time you can be sure you are speaking with an Irishman is if you know their last names. It is also true that Anglo-Americans have had to tone down their pride in being Anglo due to political correctness. Being proud to be Anglo and Irish or German or even Italian is often portrayed as racist and inconsiderate to people of color. It is unfortunate that a book like 'Angela's Ashes' was written. No people should have to live lives like McCourt did. Why we as Americans were so glad to read that novel wasn't so much that it was well written, but that it gave us some connection to a past, no matter how meager, that made us feel good about our cultural heritage and history. Leo Lawyer Oregon, U.S.A. I completely understand the point of view of Brian Kelly regarding Angela's Ashes. To those of us who have never had a life in Ireland, reading it could give us the impression that ALL Irish are this way. Perhaps that ALL Irish are the stereotypical drunkards that we all hear jokes about. But I think it is important to remember that Frank McCourt was not writing to represent ALL Irish. He was writing to represent his own life, and the lives of people who were in similar circumstances to his own. I read Angela's Ashes, and also the sequel, 'Tis, and found them compelling, sad, pathetic, joyous, disappointing, hilarious, and many other conflicting emotions. Being Irish-American, never once did I take his personal account as a reflection of what all Irish have to be. It was intensely aggravating to watch his father so often fail and abuse his family due to his drunken ways, only to watch Frank McCourt ruin virtually every opportunity that came his way for the very same reason when he came to America. But I thought both books were interesting and well-written stories of a man, who happened to be Irish, and how he overcame so many painful experiences and with time eventually understood who he was and how his parents had influenced him. While my own family has never had a problem with drinking, it was fascinating to see reflections of my own relatives in those of Frank McCourt. I never knew some of those ways of handling things were Irish traits! I've never read books that caused me to flow through so many emotions, or caused me to realize just how lucky I truly am to have what I have in my life. I finished those books feeling wrung out of tears, laughter, and yes, anger. Frank McCourt is an excellent writer, and his books are detailed and raw accounts of a boy who grew up in extraordinary poverty, came to America, repeated many of the same mistakes his parents made until he saw where it was getting him, and then began the work of improving himself to be more than what he was taught. The fact that he was and is Irish is somewhat secondary, though I admit people seem to be focusing on it more than they should. I feel it is a mistake to force Angela's Ashes or 'Tis to represent all of the Irish who came to this country. To do so is to try to say that all Irish people are the same, and what worse stereotype is there than that? Frank McCourt's story is a tragic one that ends with personal awakening, and it is only HIS story. Every Irish man and woman and child who came over here has their own vastly different background and story to tell. I encourage Brain Kelly to write his, and he mentioned he had the desire to do. Everyone has a story that's worth telling, and his would be just as important, true and representative of the Irish experience as I feel Angela's Ashes is. Cara Randall Well said Brian! A pathetic attempt to make money out of other people's (their parents) misery. Mind you, 'de brother' isn't that much better either. Unfortunately, this book has sparked off a trail of self-declard 'My childhood' authors ... argh! One of the many I found *very* worth while reading was however Bill Watkins' first two of a trilogy 'A Celtic Childhood' and 'Scotland is not for the Squeamish'. Now, there's something nice. But Angela's Ashes? As depressing as County Limerick's West and the very dull and arrogant Frank McCourt - whom I had the 'pleasure' of experiencing live at the Frankfurt Bookfair in 1996. Slan, Bea (Mullingar, IRL) Brian Kelly is right on. My grandfather was born in Ireland, and he was the kindest, most generous, sweet tempered, God fearing man. Alcohol was not the main ingredient in his or our life, or the life of his brothers and sisters. Frank McCourt's life was filled with selfish, idiotic alcoholics and a mother that had no guts. She let her husband's alcoholic bouts kill her children. How can she reconcile that. Shame on McCourt for making the world think all Irish Catholics are drunken louts. Penny Bride To whom it may concern: Dear reader, I was astonished at the "review" given by one of the subscribers about the book Angela's Ashes ! Of course it was NOT about how all of the Irish are ! I am from county Meath and take great pride in my Irish Heritage and thought that Mr. McCourt's book was about HIS life and experiences as he NEVER stated that's how "WE" all live ! Mr. McCourt's shared life was wonderful and sad and made me feel every emotion but not once did I feel as if he was stereotyping the Irish .....all he was doing was giving a recorded story about himself . The subscriber needs to take this into account and not be so hard on McCourt . I will continue loving my homeland and people and learn every chance I get about different ways of life from every country and every walk of life ! Erin Go Braugh ! Cynthia Diane White My name is Leonie Roach and I am proudly a 5th generation Australian of Irish heritage (my maiden name is Mahony). I strongly agree with Brian Kelly's article re 'Angela's Ashes'. I also was appalled at the contents. My ancesters came to Australia in 1854, the paid their own way and had large families. They were devout Catholics, hard working, fun loving and yes liked the odd drink, BUT were not drunks.They like many thousands, made a great contibution to this wonderful land I call home -'Australia'. Leonie Roach. Grafton. NSW. Australia. Hello again Michael, You asked for a response to Brian Kelly's article on Angels' Ashes. Well I don't entirely agree with him, 'tho I can understand his objections. I see Angela's Ashes from an outsider's view. I'm British and living in Australia, I have seen both the book and the film to be popular here. I don't believe anyone here looks at the book and believes Limerick is still like that. Well, I've been to Limerick and I KNOW it's not. It would be like someone reading "For the term of his natural life" a Tasmanian book which tells of the horrors of transportation to Van Diemans Land and incarceration at Port Arthur, and then thinking that Tasmania is still like that now. I believe folk are able to regard Frank McCourt's story as history as well as autobiography. If fact, the makers of the film version had to especially construct the slum that the McCourts lived in because they couldn't find a street that bad in Ireland. Life MUST have been as tough as the book depicts in that time, else why would so many leave beautiful Ireland for America, England and Australia? Now the Irish are returning to Ireland in droves, I'm told, and why is that? because times are changed for the better. (I hope they remain so) That the McCourts were a dysfunctional family I have no argument. I'm sure that many families suffered the same poverty but didn't have to resort to drunkeness, prostitution and thievery in order to survive, but I am not judging those who did, judging in God's work, not mine. I understand that a lot of folk, especially in Limerick were not too happy with the release of the book, they should relax, Ireland and the Irish people and culture are very much flavour of the month in Australia and I really don't think that Angela's Ashes made any difference to that. The only negative comments I have heard is that the book and film were depressing That's true, it was, but there was a victorious spirit that rose from such squalor and I found that encouraging. Please feel free to use these comments as you wish. slan go foil gray Gray Hodge Somerset, Tasmania, Australia.

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