"An interesting and distinctive read . . . yet another barometer of the current health of the Irish short story."--Evening Herald   The short story is one of Ireland's national treasures, and within these pages are some of its finest practitioners--from such established names as Julia O'Faolain, Claire Keegan, and Christine Dwyer Hickey to the exciting new voices of Judy Kravis, Eithne McGuinness, and Cherry Smyth.   The stories are bold, unsentimental, often very funny, and always deeply affecting.