The Miseducation Years

Ross O'Carroll-Kelly #1

by Ross O'Carroll-Kelly, Paul Howard

So there I was, roysh, putting the 'in' in 'in crowd', hanging out, pick of the babes, bills from the old pair to fund the lifestyle I, like, totally deserve. But being a schools rugby legend has its downsides, roysh, like all the total knobs wanting to chill in your, like, reflected glory, and the bunny-boilers who decide they want to be with me and won't take, like, no for an answer. And we're talking totally here. Basically, it may look like a champagne bath with, like, Nell McAndrew, with, like, no clothes and everything, but I can tell you, roysh, those focking bubbles can burst.And when they do OH MY GOD! Ross O'Carroll-Kelly is all meat and no preservatives, roysh, at least, that's what it says in the can in, like, one particular south Dublin girls' school, which shall remain nameless, roysh, basically to protect the names of the guilty. You know who you are.

Genres: Fiction, Irish Literature, Humor, Comedy, Ireland, Satire

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Pseudonym for journalist Paul Howard.

Reviews

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious tale written in the first person perspective of a snot-nosed, over-privileged, stupid Irish high school boy. Some of the Irish slang was hard for me to understand, even after 9 months of living there. Also, Kelly often writes Irish-accented words phonetically which can be challenging (ex. 'roysh' = 'right'). Worth the effort, great writing.

[Ciara Madigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total focking hilarity.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book! Well worth the read, very funny. I will definitely be reading more books from Ross O'Carroll-Kelly in the future

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a certain amount of guilt I feel laughing at the ridiculous antics of this total gobshite. I would seriously hate this book and this character (and he deserves to be loathed) were it not for the clever writing showing what an orsehole Ross is (with just a little bit of heart under there…somewhere) and why.
I started this series with the most recent book as a kind of fluke - ran out of reading material in Ireland and picked up a copy in Kinsale. It was interesting to see how it started knowing where Ross is now…

[Magdalena Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for any Dubliner! On one hand I'm a bit disappointed with myself for having waited so long to read it despite having lived in Dublin for nearly 7 years now, on the other I realise that a great part of what makes the book so funny is the fact that over those years I learnt a lot about the city and about its culture, idiosyncrasies and stereotypes so I understand a lot more of the humour than I would have soon after I arrived. Even with all the years of living here, though, I had to make a frequent use of an online Irish slang dictionary and google some of the references.

As a side note, the frequent descriptions of what designer clothes everyone is wearing made for some quite uncomfortable American Psycho flashbacks ;)

[Nicolacor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very witty, intelligent look at the upper-middle class. This book is a satire on what it is to be a 'D4-head'. Very enjoyable, if sometimes hard to understand the phonetically spelt idiosyncracies of speech- for example, 'roysh goys'

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic read for Dublin educated people...

[ParisianIrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy going book pointing fun at south Dublin stereotypes (Private schools, Rugby, Lad culture, entitlement). The author has created a character Ross which champions the faux-Americana culture that has taken over elements of South Dublin since the 'Celtic Tiger'. The fact that Ross exists at all is a sad testament to how certain elements of Dublin society raise their children to be the entitled, elitist and privileged little cretins they are. Unfortunately it doesn't stop there, many of these creations end up working in powerful institutions and a lot of blame as to how Ireland as a society is so dysfunctional can be laid their feet, primarily in the way they were brought up.

Ireland has nearly put to rest the Gombeen men, but they were replaced by Ross and Sorcha. If you look at the top jobs in Irish companies, politics or indeed the public service, you'll see that the cream always rises to the top (Rich but unfortunately Thick as well).

Still a credit to the author for showing us what it's like to have grown up in an environment like that, where money is no object and personal responsibility non-existent.

A definite must read.

[Wes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love the Ross O'Carroll-Kelly books. I joined the series in the middle so time to start at book one. Ross has to be one of the most pompous arrogant and nasty characters you are likely to meet. When you add in his great stupidity you get a hilarious outcome. Set in Dublin with his band of cronies this rich twat sets out to win the schools rugby cup, become a hero and have every good looking girl he comes across. Things don't go to plan and the result is like soooo OHMYGOD funny roysh. It's not all laughs and there are parts were you really feel for Ross. Get used to the constant slang and enjoy a very funny book.

[Mihika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never been to Dublin or Ireland for that matter but coming from Delhi, India - that image of a privileged ‘talk to my daddy’/ ‘don’t you know who I am’, dangerous social psycho is pretty familiar. I read the most recent books of this series first where Ross is more palatable. This one is amazingly written, a classic, but the American Psycho/ Clockwork Orange ‘force is strong with this one.’

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a big hit when it first was published, it still has some laughs and nostalgia factor for that time in Ireland. But 20 years later it now seems petty and cynical. The author no doubt thought himself a great wit at the time for sticking it to the rich. Now it just falls flat, and gives a glimpse into the current sad state of Ireland today.

[Cian Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a bit of a break about a third of the way in as I’ve read it before. I’m going to read all of the RO’CK books again before reading the newest one!

Some words and phrases are very ‘of the time’ and would probably not fly today but the book is hilarious, and it’s interesting to see where Ross started and what way he acts in the newer additions to the series.

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny satire of Dublin's rugby-playing, privately educated SoCoDu crowd. Absolutely spot on in his observations, genuinely some laugh out loud moments. However, some may be tricky to understand for anyone who hasn't lived/at least visited the city.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of Ross O'Carroll-Kelly, rugby star and all around waster.

Self absorbed and a contemptible human being, Ross shows us the side of Dublin life that, frankly, we all try to ignore.

Hilarious.

[Mark O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and close to the bone!

The humour (Acquired taste!) keeps the stories going at a brisk rate. Very enjoyable read for anyone who has come across South Side Dubliner teenagers.

[Oisín McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest book I have ever read. A scathing caricature of South Dublin that still holds up.

[Matthew Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and humorous read introducing the story Ross O’Carroll-Kelly. This is an easy read that is hard to put down with plenty of funny stories and incidents leaving the reader laughing out loud.

[Sarah Mcgrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Ross O'Kelly. I read this originally soon after it came out, and I'd love to know what revisions were made.

[Timothy Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro to the Ross-meister

[Michael Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, dragged a bit.

[Laura Crosse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like these are going to just keep getting better roysh? I'm fairly late to the Ross O Carroll Kelly party and because of my aforementioned inability to read books in the wrong order in a series I had to go back and begin at the beginning so here I am.

It was okay, funny in places, hilarious in others and cringey in some. I mean I look at this completely with the mindset that it is a complete and utter pisstake. Obviously it is but unfortunately for the Irish public people like Ross do exist. I hope and pray that he is an extreme fictional version made up for the sake of comedy but who knows... South Dublin is a strange place.

Ross is like the Irish version of Scott Disick, he's an arrogant, gobshite but still somehow a bit lovable. If you don't know who Scott Disick is then watch an auld episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians. Yes I watch it and yes I know its chewing gum for the brain and no I don't care because yes I do love it.

Anyway we follow Ross through his final year in Castlerock where he basically does extremely little other than play rugby and chase girls. Its pure escapism which is pretty much the same reason I watch KUWTK as his attitude to money and material things is just so different to the 'average' person that it's actually hilarious to read.

I enjoyed this and I have a feeling that this series will only improve with time and I'll definitely stick with it and find out!

[Franklin Andrew Borders · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Irish Kenny Powers

The Irish Kenny Powers

The Ross O'Carroll Kelly books are hilarious. Ross believes that he is brilliant, but in reality is a dumb ass and it's all for the reader's entertainment. Being an American I couldn't help but feel the likeness of Ross to Kenny Focking Powers. Very easy to read and incredibly funny. I wouldn't say this is the best book in the ROCK series, but definitely a notable entry and the one that started it all. Recommended to any fan of comedy.

[Mhartain O'Treasaigh]

Unfortunately, I lost my book, leaving it on the bus to Cork,

Yet I was debating, on whether to continue with it, I was getting tired of word's "LIKE" & "ROYSH" , I didn't mind the other slang used. Curiosity is getting me now. So I can read the following sequels, I am originally From Dublin Northside, and have to agree with some comments, but was not impressed with other comment's like being set up for a mugging. He made up for the slagging by slagging off the Southside,

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ross O'Carroll-Kelly is the guy you hate because he's spoiled, self-centered, and is in general a right nasty piece of work when talking to someone he does fancy, but you love to hate him because he's just so damn funny. I don't read a lot (read: any) humor books, but these made me laugh a lot.

[Ms Anne Marie Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for rugby fans

Having read seedless in Seattle I've decided to start from the start. Great fun but not being a Dub some of the slang can be challenging to work out.

Worth the time to read.

[Jason Lenavitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are hilarious!

[Jule · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suuuuperfunny!!!

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really funny but not laugh-out-loud hilarious like some of the other books in the Ross O'Carroll Kelly series. Still laughed a lot!

[John Braine]

First regular book I've started reading in ages. Had to kill an hour recently somewhere I didn't want to listen to an audiobook or crack out the iPad. Probably be still in my bag next year.

[Grainne · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this author and as usual a funny read