This book is now part of my lifetime-challenge: a book in every country of the world.

Running: 25 August 2005
Destination: Canada

This book is sent as RABCK to Sue @ www.postcrossing.com... *gg*

Hallo Wyando - wie geht es Dir? ..... Danke ;-)

What a surprise I got today when I went to get my mail - I'm a part of this Lifetime Challenge!

I will definitely read this book and then I'll pass it on - I might mail it as a surprise to another Postcrosser.....

The postmark on the package said 25.08.05 I don't think this book was "running" all the way here to Canada - I think it stopped for a lot of sightseeing on it's journey....a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, once around the London Eye, a nice lobster dinner in P.E.I .... but it's here now.

Thanks Wyando
p.s. - I love the postcard you sent with the book.

Interesting book about the author John Synge travelling around Connemara and speaking to the people to learn of their lives and how they managed to live in such hard conditions. It was written about 100 years ago so it's interesting to think of how the people on the west coast of Ireland were living at that time. There was so much poverty in this area during this time but still the people had an almost unbeatable spirit. Many of they younger people saved as much as they could so they could emigrate to a "better" life in America...but often they would tire of the life over there and return home after a number of years.

I'll be saving this one to offer to a friend who has recently returned from a trip to Ireland.

Nov 5/05 - I think AnnieLaurie ended up with this one - ANOTHER friend who has recently returned from a trip to Ireland ;-)

Thanks Penhaligon for this little Irish book. I look forward to reading it soon while my memories of Ireland are still fresh in my mind.

An interesting little book about the poorer areas in the northwest of Ireland. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was meant by the title "Congested Districts Board" - 'congested' meaning overcrowded, which these areas were not according to John Synge's description. The author did a wonderful job explaining the circumstances that the people live in daily, but did not come up with any solutions; the solutions given by the Congested Districts Board did not work out either. Very interesting; I enjoyed the language of his day also.

I am going to pass this on to a friend who travelled through Ireland with me.

received from a friend. I look forward to reading it soon, having recently returned from touring Ireland.

An interesting tale of life in Ireland late 1800's. It was definitely a rough life - poor and hard work, but the people had great spirit and determination. The "government" of the day didn't provide a lot of assistance in the poverty, and the author didn't really suggest any solutions either.

RELEASE NOTES:

released at the BC meeting