The Collins Press imprint: 150 books

‘There followed a blue flash accompanied by a ver y bright magnesium-type flare … Then came a frighteningly loud but rather flat explosion, which was followed by a blast of hot air … All this was followed by eerie silence.’ This was Cork doctor Aidan MacCarthy’s description of the...

Nowhere in Ireland is there such a rich diversity of walks as Killarney. Thousands visit every year to walk in the beautiful landscape for which Killarney is renowned, and until now there has been no guidebook for these walks. Jim Ryan has compiled eighteen of Killarney’s most interesting low level...

The Wild Atlantic Way follows the magnificent west coast of Ireland, passing golden beaches, thrusting headlands and soaring sea cliffs. Renowned walking-guide author Helen Fairbairn explores the best walking routes of the region, recommending trips to uninhabited islands, coastal mountains and much...

Cumann na mBan, a women’s support group to the Irish Volunteers, was founded in 1914. Nationalist in outlook, its aims centred on arming Irish men, generating propaganda and presenting a united Irish opposition to English rule. After participation in the 1916 Rising, members played crucial roles...

A fascinating account of the life and career of Weeshie Fogarty, describing the passion and all-consuming obsession with football in Kerry and capturing the importance of the sport in the life of a youngster in Killarney in the 1950s. After his dream of playing with Kerry in Croke Park comes true,...

Name the five Great Trees of Ireland? What trees are most often found beside holy wells or cemeteries? Which tree gave the Red Branch Knights of Ulster their name? Ireland was once so heavily wooded it was said a squirrel could travel from Cork to Killarney without touching the ground. So it is no...

In June 2008 Ben Cunningham and five friends set out to cycle from Alaska to Argentina, along the Pan-American Highway, the world’s longest land route. It measures 25,000 km and passes through fourteen countries and two continents, from the vast bear country of Alaska and northern Canada to the...

The James Caird is an unlikely hero, a 23-foot lifeboat that completed the most desperate and celebrated open boat voyage in history. On board were Ernest Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley, now some of the most recognised names in Antarctic and Polar literature/history. This is the story...

What makes playing a golf course a great experience? Kevin Markham travelled 6,800 miles in a 20-year-old camper van, walked 2,100 miles, lost countless balls, and wore out three pairs of golf shoes to find out. He played and rated every 18-hole course - all 350 of them. The result is the most comprehensive,...

Mark Twain had it all wrong: golf is not a good walk spoiled, golf is a journey. And when Ireland provides the map it becomes an 11,000km odyssey for one man in a camper van. Kevin plays every 18-hole golf course in Ireland in all kinds of weather and with all kinds of golfers. He deals with a leaky...

In a country richly endowed with wild mountain ranges, secluded valleys and untamed coastlines, the best natural landscapes can only be explored on foot. Here are over sixty of the greatest one-day walking routes in Ireland, varying from short strolls to full-day treks. Every part of the Republic...

In 1828, the'Mary Russell' sailed into Cork Harbour from theWest Indies. Seven crewmen lay in themain saloon, brutally murdered by the captain. His trial was a sensation as survivors revealed a tale of danger and delusion. But what really happened? This gripping account unravels the bizarre tragedy and its dramatic court case, as well as the place it occupies in history and folklore.

John Boyle O’Reilly (1844–1890) is one of Ireland’s most remarkable and least known historical figures. An undercover Fenian while ostensibly a proud member of the British army, he was convicted of treason in 1866 and was transported to Australia. After a daring escape on an American whaler,...

A guide to some of the best walking routes in the region, with lucid descriptions and additional information to enhance the walkers' enjoyment and appreciation of the place. Each route, prefaced with a quick-reference summary, is illustrated with a clear sketch map.