SHEELAGH CONWAY has provided a fascinating contribution to women`s history with The Faraway Hills Are Green: Voices of Irish Women in Canada (Women`s Press, 336 pages, $18.95 paper). Conway, who described her own route from Ireland to Canada in A Woman and Catholicism (1987), has drawn moving, richly coloured stories from the 22 Irish immigrants she interviewed. Most of the stories begin with the subject`s memories of Ireland, then move on to her experiences in Canada. Several women discuss issues such as patriarchy and racism, matters of deep concern to Conway, an ardent social activist. Many wistfully say they left Ireland because there were no jobs and no hope of getting an education. The seamlessly recorded tales breathe with vivid detail, pathos, and humour. There`s Nellie, who left Ireland to escape an abusive father only to marry a violent man; Violet, who preserves her heritage by teaching Irish dancing; Brigid, who came to Newfoundland as a war bride; and Dorothy, who fought for the rights of young single mothers in a Dublin housing project. Introductory chapters on the history of Irish women in Ireland and in Canada put the stories in perspective. While some readers may find Conway`s feminist analysis in these chapters intrusive - in one quoted poem, she marks the phrase "valiant men" with a "[sic]" - she has not let her views overshadow her subjects` voices in the stories that follow. Conway`s book will enlighten and inspire anyone interested in Irish culture or women`s issues.