The second city

101 Reasons why Cork is Better than Dublin

by Jim Fitzpatrick (Mercier Press, €6.99 / £5.99)

Dubliners will need a lot of persuading that there is any substance in Jim Fitzpatrick’s notion that Cork is a better place: if it is why are so many Corkonians in Dublin?

The rivalries of the two cities are based on long standing notions. Fitzpatrick, who is keen to look askance at Irish life, feels it’s time that they were updated: “Cork is more kefir cocktails than Tanora these days”.

This is unconvincing. All this shows is that Cork, like Dublin, will fall for any heavily promoted product with a topical feel – Tanora after all is a product of Coca-Cola, what could be more global?

As for the on trend kefir as a cocktail, will its health promoting properties survive the addition of all that local gin? Times will tell.

Still, this amusing little book will top-off many a stocking in a few weeks, along the banks of both the Lee and the Liffey.