The word ‘gombeen’ is the anglicised version of the Irish word ‘gaimbín’. The gombeen man is a despised figure in Irish history. It usually referred to shopkeepers who exploited their rural customers through extending credit at usurious rates to people in need. Over time however, the expression gombeen – in Ireland at least – has come to describe the activities of anyone who pursues personal gain (usually financial) by dubious means. In the book, we […]
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The front cover illustration of our book ‘Gombeens at the Gate‘ is called Nights Candles are Burnt Out . It is a painting completed in 1929 by the Limerick artist Seán Keating (1889-1977) and depicts the ‘Shannon Scheme’ at Ardnacrusha. Here is Keating’s own description of the work according to the May 1932 edition of The Sphere magazine: “The title suggests that the dawn has come, when the dim candlelight of surviving medievalism […]
What is the front cover painting of ‘Gombeens at the ...
Recently I came across Maria Popova’s blog and her collection of Leo Tolstoy’s quotes from his book, A Calendar of Wisdom. In the Calendar, first published in 1904, Tolstoy [1828-1910] set out to compile “a wise thought for every day of the year, from the greatest philosophers of all times and all people.” Here are some great ones I’d like to share on wisdom, knowledge (and ignorance!), learning and the […]