Veteran journalist Mary Kenny, fearlessly outspoken for over three decades now, takes this opportunity to weave a tale of her homeland spanning a century in The Way We Were.

With the stories of those who moulded Irish history, while also emphasising the role played by the most dominant factor in Irish life, Catholicism, she takes us on a nostalgic tour of Ireland that is and was. Besides an insightful, decade-wise analysis of Irish society, Mary includes profiles of noteworthy stalwarts like Gay Byrne and Seán MacBride to further our understanding of their impact.

From the Brave New State and Communism, all the way to the Women’s Revolution, Mary’s astute reminiscing provides the reader with a complex portrait of life from the 1920s to the present day.

At a time when the values of Catholic Ireland are so often viewed in a negative light, Mary Kenny’s approach is a balanced recollection of Ireland over the past hundred years, making for an informative and enjoyable read.