Dead Interesting Stories from the Graveyards of Dublin

Book excerpt: From the simplest slab of weathered stone to the most imposing monument, every marker in Glasnevin cemetery bears witness to a life that, in ways small or large, helped shape the history and culture of the Irish state. Shane MacThomáis offers a fascinating insight into some of these lives in this book. Within its pages, you'll meet not only the heroes of the Irish fight for freedom, like Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera, but also lesser-known Irish men and women who made important contributions to the state in the arts, sports, military service, politics and other areas of Irish life. Glasnevin Cemetery, encompassing Mount Jerome, Bully's Acre, the Hugeunot Cemetery and the jewish Cemetery, has great national significance through the social and historical influence of the people buried there from all walks of life over 178 years. Famous people interred there include the founder of the cemetery, Daniel O'Connell, as well as Charles Stewart Parnell, Anne Devlin, O'Donovan Rossa, Christy Brown, Brendan Behan and Luke Kelly.