Review: The Secret Diary of Gerard Manley Hopkins by Robert Waldron

Saturday March 13 2010

Visitors to the annual Hopkins Festival in Co Kildare are surprised at the global following which the English poet attracts. A convert who had gone on to become a Jesuit priest, he came to Newman's Catholic University in St Stephen's Green, in 1884, to teach Greek (not English, as Robert Waldron suggests). Hopkins remained there until his death five years later and is buried in Glasnevin. He is, as a result, regarded as a prominnent part of the Leaving Cert English course for many years.

Take three wines

Saturday February 27 2010

• Marks & Spencer St Romain Les Senteurs 2007 -- not Puligny-Montrachet, but from Burgundy's Côte de Beaune all the same; medium-bodied, floral spice and apple nuttiness wrapped in soft biscuity flavours, added complexity from 11 months spent maturing, gently unfolding. 13pc. €14.99. Available from Marks & Spencer.
• Fiuza 3 Castas 2008 -- a great-value trinity of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Portugal's top red, Touriga Nacional; combining structure, piercing black fruit and a touch of earth, with a sunny spiciness derived from grapes grown in Portugal's southerly Alentejo region and given six months to mature in oak. 12.5pc. A versatile partner at the dinner table, steak included. €9.99. Available from Donnybrook Fair; Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street; Corkscrew, Chatham Street; Red Island, Skerries; Mitchell's, Rathfarnham; Terrace Wines, Galway; Cheers, Delgany; Deveneys, Rathmines; Fresh Outlets; Gourmet Bank, Churchtown; The Vintage, Cabinteely; Sweeney's, Glasnevin; Nectar, Sandyford; The Wine Shop, Perrystown.
• Château Magnol Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2007 -- happy days, the price has been reduced by several euro since the autumn. Bring on the steak for this Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, its parent, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Plenty of brambly fruit, with an invigorating streak of redcurrants, a touch of mint and firm, but well integrated, tannins. 12.5pc. €19.99. Available from Donnybrook Fair; O'Briens; Molloys; Cellars Big Wine Warehouse, Naas Road; Worldwide Wines, Waterford; Harvest Off-Licence, Galway; McCambridges, Galway; Higgins Off-Licence, Clonskeagh.

Duffy pays tribute to 'true gentleman'

Monday February 22 2010

BOYZONE singer Keith Duffy has led tributes to Dublin socialite and personal friend Niall McCrudden, who died at the weekend.

Do not abandon democracy yet

Sunday February 21 2010

Sir -- Your editorial (Sunday Independent, February 14, 2010), makes a case for the setting up of a 'national government', comprising politicians of all parties and headed by politicians who score well in opinion polls. This line of thinking essentially recommends that we convert our democracy into a dictatorship with no opposition. Surely it is not appropriate that, after less than 100 years, we abandon the democratic republic that was bequeathed to us at great cost by our antecedents and convert it into a virtual one-party state, headed by celebrity politicians, on the basis of a few opinion polls.

Take three wines

Saturday February 20 2010

• Bethany G6 Barossa Shiraz 2006 -- sweet and savoury; meaty, leathery notes added by age to the layers of ripe dark fruit, chocolate, mocha, liquorice, spice and mint. Firm and ripe tannins and a wine you could bring anywhere. A good bet at the reduced price. 14pc alc. €12.95 (reduced from €17.39). Available from O'Briens.
• St Hallett Faith Barossa Shiraz 2008 -- midway in the St Hallet stable of Barossa Shiraz; full-bodied, concentrated and smooth, dominated by a rich core of black chocolate, a juicy fruit cocktail of cherries and blueberries, with ripe tannins and added spiciness from time spent in French oak. 14.5pc. €14.99. Available from Donnybrook Fair and other independent off-licences.
• Glaetzer Wallace 2007 -- blend of 75pc Shiraz and 25pc Grenache from one of Barossa's best terroirs, Ebenezer. Fleshy and sweet, but not jammy, with dark brambly spice lifted by a raspberry/sweet cherry streak and hints of caramel. A vibrant wine that carries its 14.5pc alc with finesse. This poshed up some Italian meatballs very nicely. €19. Available from Wine Boutique, Ringsend; Sweeneys, Glasnevin; Kennedy's Foodstore, Fairview; 1601, Kinsale; Harvest, Galway; The Mill, Maynooth; Nectar Wines, Sandyford; Claudio's, Newtownmountkennedy; Red Island, Skerries; Martin's, Fairview; Stewart's, Castleknock; On the Grapevine, Dalkey; Searson's, Monkstown; Fahy's, Ballina; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Power and Smullen, Lucan; Next Door at Remington's Kimmage.

Candidate files perjury complaint with gardai

Friday February 19 2010

A GREEN local election candidate yesterday lodged an official complaint with gardai over alleged perjury by former Defence Minister Willie O'Dea.

Flying Flynn key as CIT's reign ends on sour note

Thursday February 18 2010

The champions have been dethroned and they went down fighting -- in every sense of the word -- to DCU in Glasnevin yesterday.

Winter Olympics: Shannon heads Irish cast of thrill-seekers

Friday February 12 2010

SOMEONE once quipped that they couldn't be bothered watching the Winter Olympics, considering it featured an event at which your granny could win gold while doing the housekeeping.

Let's dance to the song

Sunday February 07 2010

THE first time singer Paula Flynn saw Greg McAteer was when he walked into the auditorium during her gig with Jinx Lennon.