The Arts - Undermining Assumptions
I. Caterer and Comforter? The Composer in Modern Ireland 1
Raymond Deane
II. The Quality of Laughter 4
Robin Glendinning
III. Flourishing and Foul: Ideology, Six Poets and the Irish Building Industry 6
J.C.C. Mays

Two Poems from Magazine 12
Trevor Joyce

Apples, Arts, Amnesiacs and Emigrants: the University Connection 14
Patricia Palmer

Two Poems 19
Louise Hermana

Sham Bards, Sham Nation, Sham Politics: Scotland, Nationalism and Socialism 21
Cairns Craig

Scottish Culture and the Lost Past 34
George Watson

Two Poems 46
Emma Donoghue

The Twisting Rope - Local Studies in Ulster 47
Brian S. Turner

Henri Michaux: translated by Proinsias Ó Drisceoil 52

Ulster Regionalism: the Unpleasant Facts 54
Barra O Seaghdha

Unionist History (ii) 62
Alvin Jackson

Science in a Post-Colonial Culture 70
Roy Johnston

Ciaran Carson 77
Interviewed by Rand Brandes

Montezuma's Revenge 91
Ciaran Carson

Book Reviews

BERNARD CRICK
Arthur Aughey: Under Siege: Ulster Unionism and the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Tom Hadden and Kevin Boyle: The Anglo-Irish Agreement
Paul Teague (ed.): Beyond the Rhetoric
Tom Wilson: Ulster: Conflict and Consent 93

MADELEINE BRAINERD
Eavan Boland: A Kind of Scar: The Woman Poet in a National Tradition
Clodagh Corcoran: Pornography: The New Terrorism
Helena Sheehan: Has the Red Flag Fallen?
Ethna Viney: Ancient Wars: Sexuality and Oppression 98

GEORGE O'BRIEN
Dick, Kiberd, McMillan, Ronsley (eds): Omnium Gatherum: Essays for Richard Ellmann
Allen and Wilcox (eds): Critical Approaches to Anglo-Irish Literature 101

PATRICK CROTTY
Maurice Harmon: Austin Clarke: A Critical Introduction
Browne and Grene (eds): Tradition and Influence in Anglo-Irish Poetry
John Montague: The Figure in the Cave and Other Essays 106

MARIANNE MAYS
Leland Bardwell: There We Have Been
Evelyn Conlon: Stays in the Daytime
Ronit Lentin: Night Train to Mother 110

SEAN LYSAGHT
Clive D. Hutchinson: Birds in Ireland 113

GERARD J. LYNE Oliver MacDonagh: The Emancipist: Daniel O'Connell 1830-47 114

CHARLES TOWNSHEND
J.J. Lee: Ireland 1912-1985 116

JAMES KELLY
Marianne Elliott: Wolfe Tone: Prophet of Irish Independence 118

COLM TÓIBÍ�N
Ciaran Carson: Belfast Confetti 121

ALVIN JACKSON B. M. Walker: Ulster Politics: The Formative Years 1868-86 124

EDNA LONGLEY
Ailbhe Smyth (ed.): Wildish thing
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: The Magdalene Sermon
Clairr O'Connor: When You Need Them
Dermot Bolger: Leinster Street Ghost
Sebastian Barry: Fanny Hawke goes to the Mainland Forever
Peter McDonald: Biting the Wax
Anthony Glavin: The Wrong Side of the Alps 126

KEVIN WHELAN
Gillespie and O'Sullivan (eds): The Borderlands: Essays on the History of the Ulster-Leinster Border 129

TERENCE BROWN
Anthony Cronin: No Laughing Matter: The Life and Times of Flann O'Brien 133

Among our Contributors 136