Ulick O'Connor retells in magnificent style the great legends of Ireland - the epic story of Cuchulainn; the sorrowful histories of the Children of Lir and of Deirdre; St Patrick's journeys across Ireland; the tale of the Druid and his Soul; the legend of Ossian's journey to the Land of Youth, and a beautiful account of the kindness of Countess Cathleen O'Shea.
Portrait of the Irish Literary Renaissance
The extraordinary renaissance in Irish literature that took place in the late nineteenth century was part of the cultural rebirth of the nation that included nationalist politics, a revival of the Irish language and Gaelic games, and new directions in arts and crafts. It was the exhilaration and elation of this period that excited the imagination of writers and artists and, as in the case of the Elizabethan age, led to the creation of significant literature. Significant literature requires great literary talents to bring it into being, and the central figures of the Irish Literary Renaissance represent a remarkable confluence of literary and dramatic talent - Yeats, George Moore, AE, Joyce, Synge, Augusta Gregory. These are the figures who dominate this warm-hearted, passionate and pioneering work of biography. Alive with masterly characterisations, this book is both scholarly and immensely readable.