| In 2000 Brendan Kilty, a Dublin Senior Counsel, acquired the house built in 1760 that was the home of James Joyce's Great-Aunts and in which Joyce set his celebrated story "The Dead". After lying derelict for over 20 years, the house is now restored in a manner that reflects both the lives lived within and its Dublin city context.
What the listener comes to understand through this recording of "15 Usher's Island: the preservation and restoration of James Joyce House" is that this seemingly interesting but straight-forward tale of restoration is in fact a fascinating and awe-inspiring story of one man's quiet passion and determination. Through this recording, Brendan Kilty gives the listener the historical context in which the house resides, describing Dublin at various markers in the city's history since 1760. He presents the story of "The Dead" within the framework of the house and Joyce's life. And, he provides detailed architectural characteristics that made the restoration process so challenging and unique. "15 Usher's Island" contains a record of the restoration of the house, along with a full recording of the "Dubliners" collection of short stories, read by famous Irish actor Jim Norton. The final story in "Dubliners" is "The Dead". This recording will be illuminating and evocative for all listeners interested in
You can download a 5 minute excerpt in mp3 format by clicking here. |  |
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