The vision of Viola as an aspiring songwriter perhaps reflects most on the Ellington history, as it evokes with bittersweet irony the spirit of Billy Strayhorn.

In what ESPN.com columnist Gene Wojciechowski called "a bittersweet irony", Tyler's hiring by Marquette was announced on the same day his mother announced her retirement.

It seemed a bittersweet irony this week that Brady also credited Bledsoe with mentoring him.

"That's a bittersweet irony, isn't it," Mr. Donehey said.

"One of the bittersweet ironies is that I don't have my friend to argue about whether to put a piece in the line or not," Mr. Weaver said.

Ranald de Garsenc offers his soul then, in genuine diffiðdence, to Corannos, and decides, on impulse, to do one last thing, more for the bittersweet irony of it than anything else.

This kiss, for all that she was aware of the bittersweet irony of the moment, took her out of herself and sent her soaring right out of this world.

With bittersweet irony, the author allows Katinka to develop her infatuation by listening to the heartaches of others.

Lipatti's playing has a bittersweet irony common to almost all the recordings he made of 18th-century repertory.

Days before her departure, Siobhan learned she was pregnant - a bittersweet irony, as Paul had wanted nothing more than to be a father.