- Reading suggestion
- 9 July 2021
Readers of Europe 2021 - Irish recommendation
Readers of Europe - recommendation by the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU
Book selected: A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
In the late 1700s Ebhlín Ní Choniall was pregnant with her third child. After discovering that her husband has been murdered, she drinks his blood and composes a lament riven with grief and longing. A visceral cry that resonates down through the years until it is eventually put to paper.
Centuries later the poet Doireann Ní Ghríofa, also pregnant with her third child, discovers the poem ‘Caoineadh Airt Ui Laoghaire' and is capivated by it. Obsessed with the text, she pieces together Ni Chonaill’s life, finding uncanny parallels with her own.
This is a very basic synopsis of Doireann Ní Ghríofa's indefinable book ‘A Ghost in the Throat’. Indefinable, for this is a work that touches on many things.
Ní Ghríofa begins the book by proclaiming ‘This is a female text’. And so it is. Like a punk singer in a riot grrrl band, she pushes the female voice to the front. She painstakingly traces the origin of the poem and the author’s lost history, giving her the spotlight she deserves. Women are often absent from history books, and telling this tale in the manner it deserves becomes not just a passing interest but an obsession.
Ní Ghríofa does much more than map her life. A poet by nature, she weaves words into an elegant tapestry that forces the reader to internalise concepts such as birth and motherhood. Awake and aware, it pivots from descriptions of the daily drudgery of motherhood to tender stories of singing Radiohead’s Karma Police as a lullaby to her newborn.
This is not a traditional novel. Nor is it a poem or a biography. It’s a novel that forges its own path, on the border between fantasy and reality. It’s lyrical and heart-rending, poignant and pure.
A book about Irish women today and through the ages. In the text Ní Ghríofa remarks, ‘How I wish that someone thought more women’s words worthy of a place’. Without doubt ‘A Ghost in the Throat’ shows that this woman's words are required reading, and that they deserve a place in any library.
Ireland is known as the land of saints and scholars, and has a rich literary tradition. For those looking to unearth other Irish literary gems, discover more via Eureka, the online catalogue of the Council libraries.
About the Readers of Europe campaign - Travel across Europe through literature
Through the long months of winter, in the darkest depths of the pandemic, the thought of traveling again was a guiding light for many sailing towards uncertain shores.
Although people were confined to their homes, many made epic voyages in uncharted lands with the aid of an old friend - books. For many, books were used as an invaluable coping measure to help deal with the psychosocial strain of being confined. Reading has helped people in Europe and around the world to cope with isolation during enduring lockdowns, and deal with the uncertainty about the future.
Summer 2021 has a more hopeful feel than last year. Rising vaccination rates and the EU Digital COVID Certificate will hopefully facilitate safe free movement of citizens in the EU.
But situations can change quickly during pandemics. Some people may prefer to have staycations in their country of residence. But whether you are voyaging at home or overseas, the Council Library has found a 'budget' way to enable everyone to visit Europe.
This summer, the Council Library will whisk you away across the continent, moving not only across the Member States, but in and out of time as well.
We have once again invited colleagues from the Permanent Representations to the EU to make recommendations for books to read over the summer, with the second edition of our 'Readers of Europe' campaign. The theme for this year's campaign is 'Travel across Europe through literature'.
The literary pit stops on this tour will shine a light on some of Europe's hidden charms, visiting places that are both eerily familiar and profoundly new. The works selected cover a broad range of genres, from contemporary to classic. Stories that penetrate deeply and consume entirely. Stories with strange beauty, nostalgia, mystery and love. Stories that showcase the vast wealth of European literature.
The itinerary is set. No passport is needed to go on this trip. The only 'carry-on' permitted is books and bookmarks (and maybe a cup of tea).
Join us as we travel across Europe through literature, as we once again encounter the Readers of Europe.
For more information about the EU Digital CVOID certificate, please see the
This post does not necessarily represent the positions, policies, or opinions of the Council of the European Union or the European Council.
The Council Library reading room is currently closed. The Info Desk remains open online and will reply to queries by email from Monday to Friday, 10.00 to 16.00.