Peter Murtagh: The "Irish Times" Book of the Year: 2003 [2003] hardback

The Irish Times Book of the Year is the perfect Christmas gift book for all those who wish to recall the highlights of the past twelve months as recorded in Ireland's leading quality newspaper. ' The Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Summer Games had many of the elements of an All-Ireland final: colour, noise, parades, a large man singing. There the comparisons ended. Apart from a few boos aimed at Bertie Ahern, the clamour created by the supporters was one of unadulterated encouragement for everybody on the pitch.' Frank McNally 'Hisham Danoon was still too frightened to step into thenether world of Abi Taleb Street, after two missiles launched by the US Air Force exploded here yesterday in late morning traffic. "Four men died right here, in front of this building," Mr Danoon said, shrinking back into the dark entrance even as he nodded at the body parts the rescue workers had overlooked. "That was my friend Tahar", he said, indicating a severed hand.' Lara Marlowe 'The video of the rally leaves little room for doubt as to what Germany's extreme right-wing National Democratic Party stands for. Anti-semetic speeches are peppered with quotes from Adolf Hitler.
There are claims that "Germany was the biggest victim of the Second World War". Hundreds of skinheads give standing ovations to elderly Nazis. Mr Justin Barrett, chief spokesman for the No to Nice Campaign and a leading light in Youth Defence, the anti-abortion group, is a guest of honour.' Derek Scally 'Jimmy Livingstone says he wishes the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, could have been in his family's living room yesterday evening. "I wish he could have been there to see us trying to coax that baby out of Denise's arms." His daughter, Denise Livingstone, that held the body of her baby Bronagh in her arms all day and all the previous day, since the baby died in Cavan General Hospital early on Wednesday. Yesterday evening Bronagh was buried in a small cemetery just outside Emyvale, Co. Monaghan.' Kitty Holland 'It fell from the sky in pieces of metal, circuit boards, ceramics and human bones, slicing through fir trees, tearing holes in rooftops and ripping into the fabric of the America psyche, still not fully recovered from September 11th.
The fall to earth of the shuttle Columbia on Saturday morning and the death of its seven crew members heightened the sense of vulnerability that has possessed the United States since the attacks on New York and the Pentagon.' Conor O'Clery 'In a place like Northern Ireland, making peace was bound to be made of half-hearted shifts as well as major transformations - like that in republicanism. Those who have grown up with the Troubles, and those who grieve for many prevented from growing up, or growing old, might well have wished for a speedier resolution. It must wait. Whole-heartedness would have been lovely, but in a society built on bitter division and scarred by so much violence and grief, it was never likely.' Finnuala O'Connor Plus Roisin Ingle, Eileen Battersby, Kevin Myers, Kathryn Holmquist, Tom Humphries, Kathy Sheridan, Paddy Agnew, Kevin Courtney, and may more...Other books by Peter Murtagh The Irish Times Book of the Year 2001 The Irish Times Book of the Year 2002.