The Literary Crossword

Hand to Hand Couriers Tel:021 893355/087 2240943 any job anywhere Sponsored by Hand to Hand Couriers Prize: Bottle of Chateaunuef du Pape 1994. Entries by Jan 15th '99 to Fergal Gaynor, The Munster Literature Centre.

Across:

 

(4) This amorous bird had a bad

dream

(7) Author of 'Ode To Joy'.

(8) Austen's arch- adviser.

(9) The novel of which this is the

opening sentence:'The sun

shone having no alternative, on

the nothing new

(10) George Russell.

(11) 'Rhinoceros', 'The Chairs', 'The

_________'.

(12) The Great Accuser's novel of

working life.

(14) The 'Fifths' in Irish, are reduced

to ______in English.

(17) Either Cymdonkin Park in

Swansea or the farm where this

poem's author spent his

childhood summers.

(20) History hopping trans-sexual.

(22) Rodin's equally famous

secretary.

(23) If Ganymede was a girl...

(24) Town near Thoor Ballylee.

Down:

(1) Dickensian femme fatale

associated with Rochestown

Road, Cork.

(2) Big Tom.

(3) According to Ovid, Daedalus'

chosen method of escaping

overhospitality: To _______.

(4) 'An Irish potato, seasoned with

Attic salt':The Sage of

Watergrasshill

(5) C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton,

Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene:

how they died.

(6) Peppercanister poet, Le Brocquy

illustrated.

(13) Found in the 'long fields' that 'on

either side the river lie'.

(15) Initials of Poppins' creator.

(16) Yeats told him in Paris to 'Go

West, Young Man!'

(17) Who told a king: 'Thou shouldst

not have been old till thou hadst

been wise'.

(18) Late 17th century philosopher.

(19) In Jewish Folklore: animated

statue.

(21) And behold...

(23) Imagist

Launch of Declan Hassett's "All our Yesterdays"

Nothing brings out the Old Cork Establishment it seems, like the launch of a book by Declan Hassett, arts editor and theatre critic for the Examiner. In case the atmosphere of old-time geniality, reacquaintance and corkagenicity was not entire, even 'Miah' (or was it 'Cha') was recruited to recite chapters from this mix of 'Nostalgia and Redolence', as the quintessential Corkman put it.

The Mercier was packed: every £20-a-copy-buying individual 'a friend', the great man said. The quasi-classical trio in the corner switched from Tchaikovsky to songs from the shows; beer and wine, if not exactly flowing, were certainly available; the hostess was industrious; and the representative of an up-and-coming Opera star was present. To cap it all Niall Toibin appeared courtesy of VHS, giving, as working actor, acclamation to a supportive critic, as parochophile, a warning: 'When you take the cork out of a bottle of Porter, the contents are liable to go flat, when you do the same with a certain newspaper, you may find the same thing happening.'

I ducked-out after Miah's double, not having purchased a copy of the slim volume with its Communion Procession cover for signing. Literary criticism? Miah got it in a nutshell 'Nostalgia and redolence'. Probably a better written sample amidst the ever-growing genre of sentimental reminiscence. If you like your whiskey with warm water and sugar this one would make a fine Christmas present. Incidentally, I was intrigued by the idiom Mr. Hassett adopted to describe the processes of memory. Against the dark background of the blank forgotten were moments of 'Total Recall'; certain associations 'Switched On' the past. When it comes out, I'll ask him to sign the C.D. Rom. Fergal Gaynor