Chattering at School is a series of animal poems that invites the reader to learn and marvel at all the wonders of the natural world. The poems include fun narratives on the surface, while containing learning and teaching moments as the poems unfold. The book has lovely illustrations and is full of moral lessons. The introduction to Chattering at School: Nature poems for children explains that these poems were written by a schoolboy aged 11 to 18 (1951-58) during his annual summer holiday visits to his grandmother on her small farm in Ireland. She had been his carer and guardian from the time of the German Blitz of London where he was born, and lived with her until the war ended in 1945. He then returned to his unknown parents, who had been unable to visit him in Ireland from the UK during the war. Over 60 years later, the author of these poems - Edward Forde Hickey - discovered them (his own schoolboy attempts at writing poetry) lying in the attic and felt they were worth recording publicly.

This fourth book in the series, portrays a closely-knit group of people living in the north Tipperary hills during the early 20th century - a community largely made up of small farmers, whose lives were far different from today. The book's inspiration comes from writers such as Thomas Hardy and attempts to pass on to readers the lyrical and rich phrasings of Tipperary's old hill folk and capture the spiritual wealth of an age that remained unchanged for several centuries. Tales of . . . * brotherly love and hate. * a rogue's return from across the sea and his efforts to reform. * an unexpected first-love at the harvest-time dance-in-the-fields. * persecution of two old saints at the hands of misguided youth. * sports-day activities for adults and children alike, following the arduous channelling of a new stream. * two adventurous toddlers, getting lost in the wilderness but saved by a witch. '. . . lovers of literature will find themselves engrossed in the lives of a past hillside community.' Addison & Cole

A series of Tipperary tales within a fictitious hillside community during the early twentieth century. 'From Time to Time' includes: *a tale of a brutal wartime revenge contrasting with the gentleness of a young English girl in the face of local hostilities, *a tale of a young school rebel rescuing a priest from death, *a young man's irreparable grief when his mother drowns while saving her turf in the bog, *a youth's entry to manhood on a sunny fair-day in the company of a thieving young temptress from town *a memorable clown's farewell and a last faction fight *the joyful dance of the entire community when their illicit whiskey-brewer finally makes his return to them from jail. 'an endearing collection of rustic tales by a natural storyteller. Addison & Cole

This series of tales was compiled during the recent pandemic lockdown and they include colourful incidents in the lives of bonesetters, matchmakers, youthful lovers, newcomers from beyond the mountains, a reformed villain's wedding, celebrated by the whole community for days thereafter, and lots more. This is the second volume and has been written once more in a lyrical language similar to that of past storytellers such as Mark Twain - enthralling and unbelievable at times. Reflections should certainly appeal to those not only with an interest in Ireland's social history but to fans of the author's earlier novels. 'An effortless evocation of an almost-forgotten world . . . wonderfully personable narration and endlessly charming characterisation.' Addison & Cole

Full of amusement, this series of fictional tales starts with a Galwayman's arrival in Tipperary's post-famine days and portrays the daily lives of a hillside community. Written in the colloquial and lyrical language of some of our ancestors, it tells - amongst others - such diverse stories as the reliance of families on children rabbit-poaching, on the pre-dawn cattle-droving days of a young school-leaver, the re-appearance of a dead girl to her newly-born sister...along with a number of love-hate incidents, like the townie scorn for a mountainy man at the show-fair, before he walks off with the big trophy!