The Dead Republic

Doyle completes The Last Roundup trilogy, a story of Ireland and the Irish in the 20th century through the lens of one everyman - Henry Smart. The first book in this series A Star Called Henry is one of my favorite novels of all time. The sequel which follows Henry to America in the Roaring Twenties - Oh, Play That Thing - starts of brilliantly but then collapses due to some poor narrative choices. The final installment brings Henry back to Ireland and is a return to form albeit still failing to approach the brilliance of the first novel.

Henry accompanies John Ford to make a film based on his own life which Ford turns into The Quiet Man. Escaping Ford's green-tinted lens view of Ireland, Henry settles into working as a janitor at a show more school in a modern Dublin suburb where he may or may not be reacquainted with his long lost wife. Henry gets caught in the 17 May 1974 terrorist bombings in Dublin (coincidentally the second book this month I've read where these bombings play a crucial role after Let the Great World Spin) and his true identity is revealed. He's hailed as a hero of the rebellion and called back into action by the modern IRA. Yet, Henry soon comes to realize that the IRA's vision of Ireland is as false and idealistic as Fords.

Overall, Doyle does a great job in this series at taking on modern Irish history - warts and all - through the lens of this fascinating (if not always likable) character. I highly recommend reading all three books even if you have to slog through the second half of Oh, Play That Thing. show less

It's a great ending to the trilogy. Henry Smart, arguably Doyle's most powerful character, returns to Ireland after a 20+ year absence. Smart's well defined sense of ethics and justice are here in force, from protecting children from violent teachers to challenging every sweet and not so sweet stereotype.

Doyle has a great deal of courage taking on the icons of Hibernian pride -- I appreciate his willingness to present the truth as he sees it.

Doyle continues to be the best darned dialogue writer I know of, and the richness of Henry's character, as well as those of the major and bit players in this book, is what makes him my favorite writer.

Bottom line: when Doyle works with the plot, rather than the character, The Dead Republic suffers. But when it's simply Henry Smart, older, grimmer, and bursting with life, well, it's grand stuff, that.

Read the rest of the review here.

A satisfying end to the story of Henry Smart. While this book can't match "A Star Called Henry" in terms of plot or surrealism, it far surpasses "Oh, Play That Thing" in absolutely every area, and lays Henry to rest in a very moving, well-written, and interesting way.

Henry Smart — Irish rebel later years — filming The Quiet Man — w/ John Ford — his version of Ireland
women beautiful + land — Border is called scar on land
Pg 315 — Irishman — Republican, Catholic, oppressed by Britain fond of a bar, prone to violence, only for political reasons — fight to death for freedom — great lad! (Everything Grand or Nothing)
Pg 317 Ireland — Heaven on Earth — Beautiful funny carefree — (not his slums, Dublin's queues beat oat his Dublin) — Maureen O'Hara vs Marg Thatcher
a plu — to win sympathy — they came

Irish rebel Henry Smart is back-and he is not mellowing with age. Saved from death in California's Monument Valley by none other than Henry Fonda, he ends up in Hollywood show more collaborating with legendary director John Ford on a script based on his life. Returning to Ireland in 1951 to film The Quiet Man- which to Henry's consternation has been completely sentimentalized-he severs his relationship with Ford.

His career in film over, Henry settles into a quiet life in a village north of Dublin, where he finds work as a caretaker for a boys' school and takes up with a woman named Missus O'Kelly, whom he suspects- but is not quite sure-may be his long-lost wife, the legendary Miss O'Shea. After being injured in a political bombing in Dublin in 1974, Henry is profiled in the newspaper and suddenly the secret of his rebel past is out. Henry is a national hero. Or are his troubles just beginning? show less

From this trilogy, A star called Henry is the most mythical, romantic and sensual book. The plot of the two other is in my opinion diluted by the interaction of Henry Smart with Louis Armstrong and John Ford and should not have taken such a prominent place.
The most gripping moments of the story are when HS is looking for his family at the end of Oh play that thing and when he is conversing with the IRA people.
Still, Roddy Doyle is one of my favorite writers.

A satisfying look into the last years and days of Henry Smart and Miss O'Shea.