Ireland

The sixty-year-old writer talks with Terry Gross about his new book "Angela's Ashes." The memoir recounts his childhood experience growing up in the slums of Ireland. McCourt lives in New York.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Angela's Ashes," a new memoir by Frank McCourt. It's the 60-year-old author's first book.

Dublin actor and sculptor Corban Walker. He is making his film debut in "Frankie Starlight." The film is based on the novel "The Dark of Cork" by American author Chet Raymo about a dwarf who is an amateur astronomer who is love with beautiful women and the stars. The film is produced by Noel Pearson who also produced "My Left Foot." Walker is "of small stature." The film also stars Gabriel Byrne and Matt Dillon. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE REVIEW SEGMENT)

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new movie, "The Secret of Roan Inish."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new film, "Widow's Peak," starring Mia Farrow, Joan Plowright, and Natasha Richardson.

Irish writer and journalist Tim Pat Coogan. In the expanded edition of his twenty-some year old book, "The IRA: A History" (Roberts Rinehart), Coogan explains the historical background of the Irish struggles. For hundreds of years the Irish Republican Army has been fighting for home rule in Northern Ireland...their latest attack was a massive bombing of London last April. "The IRA: A History," is being released for the first time in the U.S., thought it's been required reading for British and Irish Military officers alike.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews, "In the Name of the Father," starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "The Playboys," set in an Irish border town and starring Aidan Quinn (Samuel Goldwyn).

Irish screenwriter and novelist Shane Connaughton co-wrote the screenplay for "My Left Foot." Now he's written the screenplay for the new film "The Playboys," starring Aidan Quinn and Albert Finney.(Samuel Goldwyn) He also has a new novel out called "The Run of The Country." (St. Martin's Press)

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "The Commitments," the new movie about a struggling R 'n' B band in Dublin, Ireland. The film's directed by Alan Parker, who made the movie "Mississippi Burning" and "Fame."

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the singer's album, "Enlightenment." Tucker says it's a partial return to Morrison's more accessible, folk-rock roots.

Fresh Air producer Amy Salit interviews producer Noel Pearson and director Jim Sheridan of the film "My Left Foot." The film tells the story of Christy Brown, who became a painter and writer in spite of having cerebral palsy. Pearson, who produced the film, knew Christy and his family and Sheridan co-wrote as well as directed it. "My Left Foot," a first film for both, has been nominated for Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Picture.

Critic Maureen Corrigan gives us her family's version of how to celebrate St. Patricks Day, and recommends the novel "Motherland" by Timothy O'Grady as perfect St. Patrick's Day reading.

Jordan was a fiction writer before becoming a filmmaker. His early cinematic work was financed by the British network Channel 4. His newest movie, a supernatural comedy called High Sprits, is his first big-budget feature. Jordan made his mark with Mona Lisa, a noir about call girl and her driver.

Singer Mick Moloney returns to play two Irish folk songs.

Journalist John Conroy. Conroy lived in a poor Catholic neighborhood in violence-torn Belfast, Northern Ireland. He recorded stories of the life there in his book Belfast Diary.

Book Critic John Leonard reviews Belfast Diary, the non-fiction account of the civil war that has flared through Northern Ireland. The author is Chicago journalist John Conroy.

The Irish filmmaker joins Fresh Air to talk about the difficulties of movie production in his home country. His new movie, directed by Peter Ormond, is called Eat the Peach.

Scholar Frank McCourt and his brother, actor Malachi McCourt, grew up poor in Ireland before finding success in the United States. Both brothers were voracious readers and were able to find success without a high school education. They wrote and perform together in a new, autobiographical play.

Milo O'Shea is an Irish actor currently starring as a priest in "Mass Appeal" at the Walnut Street Theater. He played the same role on Broadway for which he won several awards and was nominated for a Tony award. O'Shea has appeared in numerous films and plays. He will appear with Paul Newman in the upcoming film "The Verdict."