Books

• 44: Dublin Made Me by Peter Sheridan (Viking Press)—The brother of Oscar-winning director Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father) recalls growing up in an eccentric 1960s-Ireland family.
  
• Tara Road by Maeve Binchy (Delacarte Press)—Irish divorce, e-mail, laptops and heroin addiction. A recent Oprah selection.
  
• Charming Billy by Alice McDermott (Delta)—National Book Award-winner about a sensitive Irish-American who falls into alcoholism after his heart is broken by an Irish lass.
  
• A Song for Mary: An Irish-American Memory by Dennis Smith (Warner Books)—Along the lines of Angela's Ashes, but set in New York City.

Films

• Angela's Ashes (1999)—Neither Emily Watson nor Robert Carlyle is Irish, and Rosie O'Donnell lost the race to play Frank McCourt's mother.
  
• Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)—Meryl Streep mastered a brogue in the movie version of the Tony Award-winning play about sisters living in dignified poverty in Ireland in the 1930s.
  
• Waking Ned Devine (1998)—A whole villiage gets involved in a get-rich scheme when a resident dies before collecting his lottery winnings.
  
• The Butcher Boy (1997)—A disturbing Neil Jordan movie about a 12-year-old boy (Eamonn Owens) in 1960s Ireland who can't control his rage.
  
• The Van (1996)—Two Irishmen sell fish and chips out of a rundown van during the 1990 World Cup soccer tournament.
  
• Circle of Friends (1995)—Maeve Binchy's tale of college life in 1950s Ireland stars Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell.
  
• The Snapper (1993)—Colm Meaney is the head of an Irish household dealing with his teen daughter's surprise pregnancy.
  
• Far and Away (1992)—Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star as Irish immigrants who eventually ride west in search of free land.

Music

• Ellis Island by the Irish Tenors (Music Matters)
  
• Celtic Woman by various artists (Valley Entertainment)
  
• Otherworld by Lunasa (Green Linnet)
  
• Celtic Wedding by The Chieftains (BMG/RCA Victor)
  
• Forty Years Of Irish Piping by Seamus Ennis (Green Linnet)