The Best Catholics in the World: The Irish, the Church and the End of a Special Relationship

A compelling account of why Ireland was so very Catholic for so long, and why that changed

When Berlin-based journalist Derek Scally visited Christmas Vigil Mass in his hometown of Dublin, he found that like its congregants, the once-packed suburban church where he was an altar boy was quiet and slowly ageing. A collective identity lost, the dwindling power of the Church in Ireland was undeniable.

The Best Catholics in the World is Scally's response - an empathetic and engaging voyage into the story of Irish Catholicism. Researched over three years, and including dozens of interviews conducted in Ireland and further afield, The Best Catholics in the World is a lively, original, moving and thought-provoking account of a country grappling with its troubling past and confusing present.

Author: Derek Scally
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 09/01/2022
Pages: 464
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 7.72h x 5.04w x 1.02d
ISBN13: 9781844885275
ISBN10: 1844885275
BISAC Categories:
- Religion | Christian Church | History
- Religion | Christianity | Catholic
- Religion | Religion, Politics & State

About the Author
Derek Scally has written for the Irish Times since 2000. He is based in Berlin. The Best Catholics in the World is his first book.